linkage - AMCHAM T&T

LINKAGEEDITION 4/ 2016

In this Issue:AMCHAM T&T’s 20th HSSE Conference & Exhibition | AMCHAM T&T’s National Excellence in HSE Awards |

Cyber Hygiene | CEO’s Perspective - Mark Loquan, NGC

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AMCHAM T&T LINKAGE Edition 4 / 2016 5

6 Welcome AMCHAM T&T CEO, Nirad Tewarie

8 Viewpoint AMCHAM T&T President, Ravi Suryadevara

12 Energy & HSE: CEO's Perspective Mark Loquan, President, NGC

15 AMCHAM T&T President Appointed to AACCLA Board

16 Global Services Promotion Programme: Navigating the Opportunities of the Digital Economy by the Ministry of Planning and Development

HSSE:18 Celebrating 20 Years: AMCHAM

T&T’s 20Th Annual HSSE Conference & Exhibition

20 AMCHAM T&T’s Annual Excellence in HSE Awards

24 Keeping Things Simple – The Importance of Critical Control Management by Peter Murphy

26 Narrowing the Education/Innovation Gap as a Pathway to Sustainable Development by Prof. Brian Copeland and Dr. Marlene Attzs

28 The Show Must Go On: Cyber Hygiene by Jennifer Gossett, Ben Dadson and Kathy West

30 Know Thy Council: Innovative Strategies for Healthcare Oversight in Trinidad and Tobago by Kelly-Ann Phillips

32 A New Age of Banking: DDs and Block Chain Technology by Rasheed Griffith

34 The Third Wave of Trinidad & Tobago Energy Development by Herbert Sukhu

AMCHAM T&T: 36 Post Budget Forum

37 AMCHAM T&T Turns 25

38 Legislation to Watch by A. Bruce

40 Eyes on the Americas: Trade Mission to Nicaragua

AMCHAM T&T PRESIDENT APPOINTED TO AACCLA BOARD

B2B MATCHMAKING: THE FEBEST EXPERIENCE

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46

CONTENTS

LINKAGE

AMCHAM Trinidad & Tobago62 Maraval Road, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, W.I.Tel: (868) 622-4466 / 0340 / 628-2508 Fax: (868) 628-9428Website: www.amchamtt.comFind us on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn and Youtube

ISSN 1814-1242Design & Layout: Paria Publishing Co. Ltd.Printing: Caribbean Print Technologies Ltd. Cover Photo: istock / mantinov

The opinions expressed in the editorial contributions in Linkage may not necessarily be those of AMCHAM T&T. We welcome any comments you might have! Simply email a “Letter to the Editor” to the AMCHAM T&T Secretariat to [email protected]

AMCHAM T&T’S VISIONAs The Pathway To The Americas, AMCHAM T&T is focussed on the stimulation and promotion of trade, investment and export oriented growth in the Western Hemisphere.

AMCHAM T&T’S MISSION

AMCHAM T&T will add value to our member companies within the following key focus areas:

• Enhancement of Competitiveness• Generation of New Business and Market Access for Services/Goods• Influence on Policies and Legislation• Transfer of Knowledge• Contribution to Sustainable Development

by Melissa Pierre

41 AACCLA Calendar of Events

42 Eyes on the Americas: Doing Business in Latin America: Focus on Chile & Colombia

44 Eyes on the Americas: More Pathways to the Americas - Lazzari & Sampson and Rouge by Alice Besson

46 B2B Matchmaking: The Febest Experience

47 Helping Haiti

48 Ambassador's Reception: AMCHAM T&T Hosts Reception for Members with the US Ambassador

50 AMCHAM Year in Review - Highlights of 2016

52 AMCHAM T&T Calendar of Events

54 AMCHAM T&T on the Inside

1992-2017

YEARS

6 AMCHAM T&T LINKAGE Edition 4 / 2016

In 2016 there were significant changes to the global economic, social and political order. Oil prices plunged to below $27 per barrel in mid-February (the lowest point since 2003) but have

since rebounded to just over $50 per barrel, in late June the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, and in November, Donald Trump was elected as the President of the United States of America.

As a result, 2017 is likely to be a year of continued uncertainty. The threat of major military conflict, new geo-political alliances and changes to the global trade and regulatory systems are likely to continue in 2017 and, if they do, will result in a fairly high degree of volatility.

While we cannot control the world around us, we can control our outlook and do our best to prepare for the future, regardless of what it brings. With all of this in mind, it is critical that Trinidad and Tobago identifies its place in the world, its strategic alliances, and its national aspirations. Having a clear vision will ensure that the totality of our policy decisions enables us to move closer to our desired objectives. In so doing we must focus on greater efficiency and competitiveness while concurrently addressing social inequality.

Our organisational vision remains “To be the preferred private sector business organisation for the stimulation of free and fair trade and investment within the Americas and the Caribbean,” and thus AMCHAM T&T believes in 'free markets' that are effectively and transparently regulated.

We also believe that there can be no sustainable growth without private-sector led growth. However, the state has an important role to play both as regulator and enabler. Moreover, expansion of business activity should, in our view, always result in better qualities of life for citizens and residents, at all levels.

In the U.S., the passage of the U.S.-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act by the U.S. Congress and Senate in 2016, potentially provides a major legislative boost for U.S.-Caribbean relations. In this regard, it is with

great pleasure that I congratulate AMCHAM T&T, President Ravi Suradevara on being elected to the AACCLA Board in September, 2016. His involvement allows us to be part of integral discussions where we can ensure that Caribbean issues are a part of the conversation. You will read more about his appointment on page 15.

We do hope you enjoy this edition of Linkage and I look forward to hearing your thoughts and interacting with you in 2017.

It is a positive move that there finally appears to be a real recognition that the structure of our economy needs to change and that the partisan politics cannot continue. We have also managed to deal with the drastic fall in national income without significant national social impact.

While the establishment of the National Tripartite Advisory Committee (NTAC) was a very significant and welcomed move in 2016, no serious attempt was made to take advantage of the opportunity to start difficult discussions and attempt to come to a tripartite consensus. We know that 2017 will be the year of difficult but necessary discussions and we look forward to working with NTAC and to collaborating with the other groups to return T&T to growth and increase our resilience.

In these challenging economic times, T&T should do all it can to encourage local and foreign investment. However, delays in passage

of key legislation in 2016 such as the Tax Information Exchange Act (FATCA Legislation) and the Public Procurement Legislation will only discourage investors. Moreover, the Online Purchase tax (OPT) was implemented despite violating international trade agreements and amidst strenuous opposition from the local courier industry. In the midst of this legislative wrangling, the industrial relations climate continues to deteriorate—further discouraging investment.

To boost economic confidence and competitiveness, the three aforementioned pieces of legislation should be addressed in early 2017. The Government has demonstrated its commitment to address the industrial relations climate and, in particular, the archaic legislation that currently exists. We expect this will be done in a comprehensive manner which protects fundamental rights of workers and employers and which creates the conditions for greater competitiveness.

WELCOME

Nirad TewarieCEO, AMCHAM T&T


VIEWPOINT

It was not that long ago when successful management was seen as a set of principles that could be duplicated and applied to numerous organisations and scenarios. Five

steps to a strategic plan, the Four P’s of Marketing, the Six M’s of Management - the success of a company could be placed into an established framework that helped to steer it in the direction of its short-term and long-term goals.

While there is no doubt that these processes have its place in the organisation, in a business environment where innovation can lead to disruption, there are no rules, no guarantees, and no certainties.

Companies have moved from five-year plans to planning year-to-year with evaluations and revisions on a quarterly basis.

It is difficult to commit to a decision with the certainty that it will bear fruit in five to ten years. The playing field is not level as the risks are greater now than ever before.

As leaders of industries we are expected to constantly encourage creativity and drive innovation as no industry is safe. For example, currently Amazon is testing a system called Amazon Go – a

grocery store in Seattle where customers can walk in, grab food from the shelves and walk out again, without ever having to stand in a checkout line. Customers instead pay via their Amazon accounts on their mobile phones. The company is calling it “Just walk out” technology.

With this in mind, I would like to reiterate the profound statement made by The New York Times, American journalist and three-time Pulitzer winner, Thomas Friedman. He articulated, and I paraphrase:

There are three massive accelerations in tandem:

• Environmental issues, especially global warming (new SDGs)

• Globalisation (hyper-interconnectivity), and

• Technology (the great equaliser and disruptor).

This should be the focus in addressing problems of the present and what future we can shape.

must wait its turn to be given a seat at the table. With technology, innovation and some of the brightest minds in the world we can only have what we believe is ours to take.

Leaders are now expected to balance the need for progress with the need to take care of those they are directly responsible for, as well as the collective need to contribute to the greater

good of those in society. This is one of the reasons why AMCHAM T&T specifically chose the advocacy platform of Health and Safety, where we have continually advocated over the years that “good HSE practices make good business sense.” Innovation must take place in an environment that does not lose sight of the people and the environment that ultimately fuel all industries either as an employee or as a consumer of the goods and services that are produced.

As we enter into a new year, we must take with us all the lessons we have learned, and apply them in our lives as we move to a more progressive and prosperous future.

"We can only have what we believe is ours to take."

Ravi SuryadevaraPresident, AMCHAM T&T

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US HERE IN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO?

One of our biggest challenges is the economic recession, and a solution to this is innovation in trade. It is imperative for us to create new ways to reach new markets so that we can have new customers. We have to look beyond CARICOM and into Latin America. Even if we do maintain a trade presence in CARICOM, we cannot continue to do so with the same products and services as we did before. We must find a way to increase our trade threshold.

To innovate, many seek to identify specific “pain points” and devise ways to solve them. Therefore we must not look at our challenges as just that, but we must see them as our pain points

that have their specific set of solutions. The more challenges we face, the more innovative we can become. While this may seem daunting, consider the alternative. If ever Darwin’s theory had contemporary relevance it is now. Our perspectives, approach to problem solving and ability to embrace the ever-shifting reality in business must evolve. We can no longer perceive ourselves as a small island state that


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ENERGY & HSECEO's Perspective by Mark LoquanPresident, National Gas Company

YOU HAVE MANAGED COMPANIES BOTH LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. WHAT CHALLENGES

DO YOU THINK ARE UNIQUE TO TRINIDAD & TOBAGO IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY?

The energy sector in Trinidad and Tobago has been affected, like the rest of the world, by the current global energy challenges. The low commodity prices experienced worldwide have impacted operations locally and in particular the revenue streams of all players across the value chain. Specifically regarding the local natural gas sector, declining energy prices have been compounded by natural gas curtailment and shortage issues. There

are two main factors contributing to this situation: bottlenecks in the upstream supply system; and depleted and maturing petroleum reserves. The challenge then is to optimise availability and reliability of the supply system as well as exploit new reserves to increase production volumes. This will allow us to meet contractual obligations and cover the shortfall in supply. Timely exploration of new reserves will also work towards preventing occurrence of another situation of curtailment within the sector.

Another challenge is transforming the role that state energy companies play within the energy sector. There is a need for these agencies, which essentially act on behalf of the government to manage and maximise value from the nation’s resources, to become more agile and effectively adapt to the changing energy landscape. At NGC this is viewed as critical to our sustainability and that of

the natural gas sector. The Company is growing beyond what would have traditionally been its core business of aggregating and transporting natural gas. The approach is to expand our business and seek opportunities across the value chain and even beyond the shores of Trinidad and Tobago. NGC is also the vital link needed between the upstream and downstream sectors and often times acts as a mediator to find the delicate balance needed to create a win-win outcome for all players involved.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING CEOS AS THEY ATTEMPT TO BALANCE THE NEED FOR GROWTH WITH A SOLID COMMITMENT TO HSE?

As NGC is exploring new and sometimes unfamiliar business opportunities and partnerships, new and unfamiliar risks associated with those ventures are to be expected. The key is to execute rigorous risk assessments to properly identify and effectively

mitigate and/or eliminate the risks. This can in turn potentially create its own issue in terms of finding a resource balance to cope with new risks during periods of growth and transformation. The challenge is then to determine and implement measures and systems that allow the company to effectively manage risks.

As president of NGC, I understand that creating a strong safety culture within the organisation is a priority and of paramount importance. Companies who value safety would always give priority to what is needed as investment into the context of sound risk management.


FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, HOW DOES THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMY OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO?

As a single entity, the petroleum industry is the highest revenue earner for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. It is expected that records for 2016 will show the sector’s contribution to the country’s real GDP will be 32%. The sector not only provides immense value in terms of dollars and cents through taxes, dividends and foreign direct investment, but also goes beyond the actual oil and gas operations. In a very significant way companies contribute to the economy through employment, capacity building, corporate social responsibility, and research and development.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF INNOVATION IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY?

Essentially, innovation is the only way to remain relevant in the oil and gas business. If nothing else, the challenges of the last two to three years have reaffirmed the volatility of the sector and that change is the only guarantee. Therefore, it cannot be expected that we continue with business as usual, doing the same old thing in the same old way. There must be adaptation through innovation as the energy landscape shifts.

Quite often, innovation is relegated to changes in technology. In the case of oil and gas, it may be improvement in drilling and/or transportation technologies. But the real trans-

formation comes from innovative thinking. How can we achieve the same results using a different strategy or should we pursue new objectives altogether? NGC understands that innovative thinking is key to evolving as we pursue new business opportunities and form strategic partnerships along the entire energy value chain to navigate these challenging times.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO WAS SET TO HEAD AN OIL AND GAS COMPANY IN TODAY’S GLOBAL ECONOMY?

Firstly, safety should be integral to business. It must be a strategic focus.

My view is that several global companies have centralised key functions, with satellites in the field. This may sometimes lead to underestimating the local context environment and talent of people, which in turn can result in the underutilisation of resources and knowledge. Therefore, my second piece of advice is to take the time to understand the talent one possesses globally and then share best practices and learnings. Too many times

a solid business strategy is hindered by a poor Human Resources focus, resulting in cycles of great inefficiency.

HOW HAS THE ROLE OF HSE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY?

HSE has to some extent evolved from a ‘policing’ approach by the relevant regulating and managing bodies, e.g. a company’s HSE department, to become a line responsibility in order to achieve effective safety practices. HSE is now more about providing a supportive, advisory and audit function. This allows for greater adoption of the understanding that the responsibility of safety does not reside outside of the individual, but rather lies primarily with the individual.

Awareness of HSE issues within the sector has also increased. This has been aided by the impact of national and international incidents which have been broadcasted in real-time

especially via social media. These highly publicised events have reaffirmed to industry players that safety practices are implemented not only to safeguard infrastructure and human life, but also image and reputation and ultimately the social licence to operate. This has also encouraged the use of tools and systems such as PSM and BBS programmes within the sector. However, there needs to be greater sharing and knowledge in safety incidents in the industry.

IN TERMS OF DIVERSIFICATION AND ECONOMIC INVESTMENT, WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE COUNTRY IN 2020?

As stated previously, the petroleum sector contributes significantly to the economy of Trinidad and Tobago. Therefore it stands to reason that if the sector is adversely impacted, the stability of the economy will also be impacted. As a country, there is a need to become less dependent on oil and gas and to explore areas for diversification so as to remain relatively shielded from any downturns experienced in the sector. This does not by any means imply that the importance of the energy sector is to be diminished, but rather, it can be the impetus to drive diversification, especially within the sector. There must be a shift from such heavy reliance on the upstream sector and a move towards seeking investment opportunities within the downstream sector. The more investment is made further down the value chain, the more value can be derived from the country’s energy resources with greater impact on employment. The country’s dependence on gas can also be reduced by having clearer policies on renewable energy and reducing gas used for generating electricity.

After over 100 years of experience in the oil and gas sector, Trinidad and Tobago has more than just commodities to offer in terms of export. Perhaps our greatest, untapped export product is our technical expertise. There is vast potential for the country to market its oil and gas intellect and distinctive Trinidad Model of Natural Gas Development to new and emerging energy jurisdictions abroad. In this regard, NGC has already begun to form partnerships and pursue opportunities internationally to diversify and grow the Company’s business model.

WHAT BUSINESS SECTORS IN PARTICULAR DO YOU THINK HAVE THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH AND WHY?

The manufacturing sector has great potential for growth within the country. The energy and manufacturing sectors require a similar skills base. Trinidad’s long history and experience in oil and gas means that there is already a well-developed resource base of skill and ‘know how’ required for expanding and deepening manufacturing locally.

AS WE LOOK BEYOND CARICOM, WHAT EXTERNAL MARKETS SHOULD T&T BE LOOKING TO FOR GROWTH AND WHY?

In terms of the natural gas sector, NGC understands that it can no longer operate solely within the local energy scenario if it is to add value and move towards becoming a major player within the global energy framework. The Company is actively seeking to deepen linkages with Venezuela, Ghana and Mozambique.

There has also been much discussion about the Government to Government agreement between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela to obtain gas from Venezuela's Dragon natural gas

field. In a time when it is critical for the country to find new gas reserves, this partnership with Venezuela has the potential to provide natural gas for Trinidad’s LNG production and consumption in the downstream sector.

NGC has also developed strategic plans for growth through acquisition internationally.

DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY? IF SO, WHAT IS IT?

Work hard, stay true to your values, always be willing to learn and forge good relationships.


AMCHAM T&T PRESIDENT APPOINTED TO AACCLA BOARD

Congratulations to Ravi Suryadevara

The American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago (AMCHAM T&T) once again has the honour of having one of its Directors elected to the Board of

the Association of American Chambers of Latin America and the Caribbean (AACCLA).

The selection of the new Board occurred at AACCLA’s 49th annual meeting, which took place from September 28-30, 2016 at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C. The theme of the meeting was Forecast on Latin America and the Caribbean.

Ravi Suryadevara, the current President of AMCHAM T&T, is the second AMCHAM T&T Executive to serve on AACCLA’s board. In 2013, Nicholas Galt was elected Chairman of AACCLA and served in this position for two years.

On his appointment, Ravi said, “I am overwhelmed at the confidence the Board placed in me when nominating me. They say hard work is its own reward, but I believe that I have also benefited from all the hard work Nick Galt has done in paving the way ahead.”

Nick, who currently serves as the Chairman Emeritus of AACCLA, is elated as he believes this is a tremendous accomplishment for Ravi. He said: “Ravi Suryadevara has proven to be an outstanding advocate for trade between the Americas and Trinidad and Tobago and regionally. During my tenure as President of AMCHAM T&T, I had the pleasure of developing a strong relationship with Ravi, who was at the

time a committee member of the Chamber’s Trade and Investment Committee, and I became aware of his tremendous dedication to the organisation. AACCLA’s Governing Board of Directors, of which I hold the honour to be Chairman Emeritus, comprises a range of highly skilled and dedicated persons from the hemisphere. The nomination process is significant as the 24 AMCHAMs in the hemisphere, comprising 28 countries, all have the opportunity to nominate someone to fill one of the four available seats on the Board. Ravi sits well in this environment and has received a very warm welcome to our Board of Directors, all of whom are excited by his appointment to continue the work which we began almost fifty years ago. This appointment is indeed an honour and I congratulate Ravi on this tremendous achievement.”

CEO Nirad Tewarie believes Ravi’s election and Nick’s continued participation on AACCLA’s Board will provide even more opportunities to increase investments and exports with the U.S. and throughout the hemisphere. “Ravi’s election to the AACCLA Board, coming on the heels of Nick’s transformative chairmanship, is evidence of AMCHAM T&T’s reach and influence across the hemisphere,” he adds.

AACCLA, comprised of 24 AmChams located in the Western Hemisphere, is the most influential voice of U.S. business in Latin America and the Caribbean, representing more than 20,000 companies and over 80% of U.S. investment in the region.

AMCHAM T&T team at AACCLA’s 49th Annual Meeting and Forecast on Latin America and the Caribbean, held at the headquarters of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C.In the photo: T&T Ambassador to the U.S. Brig. General Anthony Phillips-Spencer, (3rd from right); Jodi Hanson Bond, VP Americas, US Chamber of Commerce & Kendra Gaither, Senior Director, US Chamber of Commerce. AMCHAM T&T Executive: Nicholas Galt, Director; Ravi Suryadevara, President; Patricia Ghany, Treasurer & Nirad Tewarie, CEO

I am overwhelmed at the confidence the Board placed in me when nominating me. They say hard work is its own reward, but I believe that I have also benefited from all the hard work Nick Galt has done in paving the way ahead.


T he traditional model of economic prosperity defined by the exploitation of natural and human resources, large-scale industrialisation, geographic location and military power is dissipating or has dissipated.

A new economic movement in which competitive advantage is built on ideas, creativity, innovation, productivity, technology and the quality of human resources has been emerging, and this movement has been expedited with the modern explorations of the terrain of the Internet, the World Wide Web and the digital economy.

According to the European Commission, the digital economy, described as how people and business work, interact and prosper within the context of profound digital transformation, is developing rapidly worldwide. Deloitte further defines this as the economic activity that results from billions of everyday online connections among people, businesses, devices, data, and processes. The Commission also adds that the digital economy is the single most important driver of innovation, competitiveness and growth, and it holds huge potential for entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The manner in which businesses adopt digital technologies will be a key determinant of their future growth. New digital trends such as cloud computing, mobile web services, smart grids and social media, are radically changing the business landscape, reshaping the nature of work, the boundaries of enterprises and the responsibilities of business leaders. These trends have the potential to do more than just enable technological innovation in Trinidad and Tobago, they can enable innovation in business models, business networking and the transfer of knowledge, while fostering the access to international markets that small island developing states such as ours need.

Greater autonomy, increased self-determinism, entrepreneurial ventures, networking, talent and agility within the business landscape are driving the contemporary models of global business. So in the current trough of volatile prices in the oil and gas sector, the need for a Global Services Promotion Programme rings more clearly as a keystone in the foundation for an alternative, diversified and sustainable foreign direct investment pipeline. Therefore, a multi-pronged and cohesive initiative like the Global Services Promotion Programme, which integrates state-of-the-art facilities, training, investment promotion, sector branding, as well as strengthening of the policy and regulatory environment, is essential for Trinidad and Tobago’s economic growth.

The general objective of such a Programme is to support the advancement of Trinidad and Tobago as a potential leader for the global provision of Information Technology enabled Services (ITeS). The expected impacts are increased exports and employment in the IT enabled Services sector which can be accomplished through sector-specific training and support services, investment promotion and branding, as well as capacity building to improve the business climate

GLOBAL SERVICES PROMOTION PROGRAMME

Navigating the Opportunities of the Digital EconomyWritten by the Minister of Planning and Development, the Hon. Camille Robinson-Regis

and regulatory framework of ITeS in Trinidad and Tobago. Beneficiaries of such a Programme are students, the unemployed and underemployed who will receive training at the Global Services Internationalisation Hub; exporting ITeS companies who require additional qualified labour to scale their exports; and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who wish to increase their export capacity.

T his is one solution to the increase in the unemployment rate of Trinidad and Tobago as recently reported by the Central Statistical Office of T&T (October 2016). Therefore, given that ICTs are infused in every level of society and every domain of service, Trinidad and Tobago must seize the opportunity to grow local

technology talent, and to catapult its IT enabled services sector to the forefront in the region. With this in mind, the Ministry of Planning and Development, as a project champion and implementation agency, will work hand-in-hand with industry partners and tertiary institutions to ensure that local companies and individuals can effectively compete in the global ITeS sector.

HAVING READ THIS FAR, ONE PERTINENT QUESTION IS: WHAT IS THE GLOBAL SERVICES PROMOTION PROGRAMME AND WHAT WILL IT ACCOMPLISH?

The Programme is a loan and grant agreement between the Inter-Amercian Development Bank (IDB) and the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago through the Ministry of Planning and Development with a view to utilising structured activities, state of the art facilities and equipment to materialise T&T’s full capacity as a

A new economic movement in which competitive advantage is built on ideas, creativity, innovation, productivity, technology and the quality of human resources has been emerging to the fore, and this movement has been expedited with the modern explorations of the terrain of the Internet, the World Wide Web and the digital economy.


global leader in the IT enabled services sector. To accomplish this, the Programme intends to combine the strengths and capabilities of both the public and private sectors toward improved ICT service delivery and exports. These sectors will therefore be armed with innovative methods to develop human capital, re-imagine export strategies, and stimulate investment. With these goals at the helm of positive actions, the Global Services Promotion Programme aims to deliver on Trinidad and Tobago’s diversification agenda. Another key goal is to strategically position Trinidad and Tobago for a future in which IT enabled services exports can be a significant contributor to the country’s GDP.

THE PROGRAMME WAS CONCEPTUALISED TO DEVELOP THESE OBJECTIVES THROUGH THREE COMPONENTS:

1. Global Services Internationalisation Hub (GSI Hub): which is a physical and technological space to provide internationalising training and support services targeting companies and entrepreneurs in the ITeS industry who are currently exporting and wish to expand, or local companies who wish to compete internationally. On November 29th and 30th the GSI Hub facilitated a training seminar comprising of labs, presentations, workshops, mentoring and networking sessions over the two days facilitated by industry-leading experts from Google Inc. and assisted by the Global Services team.

2. Investment Promotion and Sector Branding: the objective of this component is to support the implementation of innovative methods of promotion for Trinidad and Tobago’s IT industry, including: a sector branding campaign, diaspora engagement as well sector data collection and analysis.

3. Capacity Building to Update Policy and Regulatory Framework: aimed at supporting efforts to update T&T’s policy and regulatory framework for the IT enabled services Sector and IT industry in general.

WHY TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO? When selecting an investment destination for the Information

Technology enabled services industry, a Duke University study found foreign investors consider five variables: (1) the country’s cost structure

(wages, infrastructure use, taxes); (2) the current and potential availability of qualified human capital; (3) the country’s business climate (political stability, regulatory environment); (4) infrastructure quality; and (5) geographical and cultural proximity.

In this context and based on the opportunity presented for Trinidad and Tobago to diversify the economy and develop the IT enabled services sector as an overall competitive destination, the IDB commissioned a study to investigate the potential of Trinidad and Tobago in establishing a services outsourcing industry, the following were identified as Trinidad and Tobago’s Competitive Advantage in the ITeS sector:

• Geographic proximity to major target markets and the country has a similar time zone to the US and Canada - the world’s largest markets for ITeS.

• Language and familiarity with culture of the target markets

• Economic stability

• Education system and quality of human capital

I n closing, the Global Services Promotion Programme is well poised with the recognition of the urgency of developing modern, future-proofed skills and training for the jobs of tomorrow given the often cited statistic from futurist Thomas Frey and others indicating that 60% of the best jobs 10 years from now do not yet exist. These are

jobs in emerging areas such as data science, augmented & virtual reality, bio and nano technology, robotics and artificial intelligence among others. Given Trinidad and Tobago’s highly concentrated oil and natural gas industry and the Government’s diversification thrust; ‘Building Globally Competitive Businesses’ is one of the key themes of the National Development Strategy for Trinidad and Tobago (Vision 2030); creating competitive companies is therefore important to our nation’s development because nations do not compete, companies do and investing in a dynamic, competitive, sustainable developmental programme is a step into creating the future we want.

The Ministry of Planning and Development is focused on national development based upon a framework for economic, social, environmental and spatial progress reinforced by the work of technical and supporting units as well as state enterprises. The Global Services Promotion Programme drives our developmental thrust by enhancing the potential of our citizens towards opportunities hinged upon economic development and prosperity in the Information Technology enabled Sector (ITeS).

Mr. Tracy Hackshaw (centre), Programme Coordinator for the Global Services Promotion Programme chats with Google representatives, Mr Antonio Guzman, Google Development Expert (left); and Francisco Solsona, Google’s Regional & Accelerator Lead, Spanish and Latin American Google Developers (far right).

Mr. Francisco Solsona, Google’s Regional & Accelerator Lead, Spanish and Latin American Google Developers facilitates a coding session with tertiary students.

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AMCHAM T&T once again placed the spotlight on Health, Safety, Security and Environment at its 20th Anniversary HSSE Conference and Exhibition. Themed

“Innovative Solutions for Today’s Challenges”, the two-day interactive event took place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain.

Above: U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago John Estrada spoke about protecting critical infrastructure.

A QUALITY PROGRAMME19 sessions covered a range of topics:

Process Safety, Asset Integrity, Contractor Management, Security Resilience, ICT Vulnerability and Business Risks, Recycling, Renewables, Leadership and Change Management, Petrotrin’s Future Outlook, and Getting Employees Back to Work After an Incident. A Cyber Security Workshop was also held. One of the segments on Health

was delivered by Dr. Jennie Robinson-Ward, President

and CEO of the PAHO Foundation, who looked at the prevalence of non-communicable

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS: AMCHAM T&T’S 20TH ANNUAL

HSSE CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION

HSSE

diseases, which in T&T, account for 60% of all deaths in the workforce.

The Conference was closed by Fitzroy Harewood, President of Petrotrin, who shared a candid look at the future of Petrotrin and the company’s HSE commitment. A survey of participants revealed that 92 percent felt that the content delivered at the Conference was either Excellent or Very Good, and many felt that adding a closing speaker was an excellent idea, delivering Conference value “to the last drop”.

With over 350 attendees, ranging from the energy sector to manufacturing and service companies to banking, the Conference continues to be the largest gathering of professionals in the fields of Occupational Health and Safety, Security, Environmental Management and Disaster Preparedness.

Above: In celebration of the event’s 20th anniversary, AMCHAM T&T donated $20,000 to Plastikeep to assist in its recycling drive. AMCHAM T&T also committed to meet with Plastikeep to explore ways to deepen the relationship. Rosanna Farmer, Project Manager of Plastikeep, with Ravi Suryadevara, President of AMCHAM T&T.

Left: Security Speaker, Andre Salgado, Information Security Director, Citi Latin America

Above: Fitzroy HarewoodPresident of Petrotrin

As the only regional HSSE Conference, the AMCHAM T&T Conference and Exhibition continues to provide a forum through which businesses can learn HSSE best practice and apply this knowledge to all aspects of their operations.

Building Awareness and Educating Business Professionals about HSSE Best Practice


Panellists of the Health and HR workshop “Getting employees back to work after an incident” – (L-R) Dr. Victor Coombs Chairman of OSHA and NIB; Her Honour Mrs. Deborah Thomas-Felix, President of the Industrial Court; Hugh Howard, Director AMCHAM T&T; Trevor Johnson, Secretary General BIGWU; Candice Diaz, Industrial Relations ANSA McAl

Kathy West, Systems Analyst IUP; Erik Guall, Security and Business Continuity Subject Matter Expert, BDA Global; Hon. Minister of Public Administration and Communication, Maxie Cuffie, Nirad Tewarie, CEO AMCHAM T&T and Ben Dadson, Coordinator IUP

Ravi Suryadevara, President AMCHAM T&T , Nigel Darlow, CEO Atlantic; Honourable Minister Franklin Khan, Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs; Senator the Honourable Jennifer Baptiste-Primus, Minister of Labour and Small Enterprise Development; Vincent Pereira, President BHP Billiton

Director AMCHAM T&T Dominic Rampersad presents the prize for Best Booth and People’s Choice to Andrea Alexis of Eastern Emergency Response Services Limited

The Conference also featured a Youth Forum, where over 60 students gained knowledge about climate change, recycling and road and personal safety – the latter two presentations were delivered by the Trinidad & Tobago Police Service’s Inspector Alexander and members of the TTPS.

Cyber Security workshop participants receive their certificates. The workshop focused on Best Practices for implementing Critical Cyber Security Controls.

Eugene Tiah accepting the Spirit of AMCHAM award from VP AMCHAM T&T Catalina Herrera-Roca

“In looking for cost efficiencies and optimising how we work, we must NEVER cut safety corners.”

Nigel Darlow, CEO Atlantic


HSSE AWARDS

Congratulations to Halliburton Trinidad Limited! The energy service supplier emerged the 2016 winner of the coveted National Excellence in HSE

Performance Awards at AMCHAM T&T’s 20th Annual HSSE Conference.

The award ceremony, which celebrates companies that exemplify HSE excellence integrated with business excellence, has become an integral part of AMCHAM T&T’s focus on HSE in the workplace.

This year, there was a marked increase in the number of entrants competing for the National HSE Awards. We take this as a positive indication of the commitment of organisations to implement HSE best practices. It is no secret that finding creative solutions to increase productivity while mitigating HSE risks is integral to surviving and succeeding in a period of economic decline.

The winners of the 4th Annual National Excellence in HSE Awards are:

Halliburton Trinidad Limited – National Excellence in HSE Performance for Services to the Energy Sector - Medium

Most Improved HSE Performance: Stork Technical Services Trinidad & Tobago Limited for Services to the Energy Sector – Large and Range Resources Trinidad Limited for Services to the Energy Sector – Small

HONOURABLE MENTION WAS RECEIVED BY:• Scotiabank for Outstanding HSE Project

• GAC Energy and Marine Services Ltd for Most Improved HSE Performance and

• Eastern Group of Companies for National Excellence in HSE Awards

The main objective of this Awards Scheme is the promotion of the development and implementation of robust occupational health, safety and environmental management systems by the applicant companies and the recognition of related achievements.

CELEBRATING HSE EXCELLENCE – AMCHAM T&T’s ANNUAL EXCELLENCE IN HSE AWARDS

Vice President AMCHAM T&T Catalina Herrera-Roca and AMCHAM T&T President Ravi Suryadevara with the winner of Most Improved HSE Performance, Stork Technical Services T&T Limited (centre).


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1: AMCHAM T&T Directors Hugh Howard (l) and Nicholas Galt (r) and the winner of Most Improved HSE Performance, Range Resources Trinidad Limited (centre) ||| 2: Kevin Singh, HSE Manager Haliburton and Dr. Jennie Ward Robinson, President and CEO, PAHO Foundation ||| 3: Graeme A. E. Pirie, President, Managing Director & Country Manager of DNVGL ||| 4: Eddison Thomas, Trinidad Systems Limited, presents the door prize to Nadia Roberts – FedEx.

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KEEPING THINGS SIMPLE – THE IMPORTANCE OF CRITICAL

CONTROL MANAGEMENTWritten by Peter Murphy

T here is a depressing frequency with which injuries, fatalities and major incidents occur across industries around the world. This is particularly so in high hazard

industries such as oil and gas, mining and construction. What is perhaps most depressing about this is that so much has been learnt about hazards, risk and safety, and while a great deal has been achieved in improving safety systems, incidents continue to occur.

FAILURE TO APPLY WELL-KNOWN CONTROLS TO WELL-KNOWN RISKS

Most alarming is the frequency of catastrophic incidents that occur in high hazard industries. These incidents, which go by a variety of names such as Major Accident Events or Material Unwanted Events, are characterised by low probability but high consequence. Examples of these types of incidents includes the Macondo oil spill that killed 11 workers, caused huge environmental destruction and

cost billions of dollars; and the Samarco tailings dam collapse that killed 19 people, caused substantial environmental impact and has so far cost US$1.9billion. These types of incidents (a blow out and a tailings dam failure) are not novel and occur relatively frequently. For instance, on average around the globe there have been two tailings dam failures each year for the past two decades.

I n most catastrophic incidents, the types of incidents are well known. For each of the incidents the causes are well known and understood. Then for each of these causes good (or effective) practice to

control these causes is well documented and readily available. So it would appear that a large number of these catastrophic incidents occur from failure to apply well-known controls to well-known risks.

SO WHOSE FAULT IS THIS? There is a tendency (although not universal)

to blame workers for incidents, be it a personal injury or a catastrophic incident. From any standpoint, a great deal of complexity has

HSSE

Frontline workforce must know and understand what they need to be doing when confronted with large and complex process and procedure manuals.


Using critical control management to simplify the complexity of safety systems will reduce the current safety kludgeocracy. While useful in itself, a reduction in the number of catastrophic incidents is the goal.

entered the management of risk and safety. This has occurred as more is learnt about risk (often through lessons learnt), the advent of enterprise risk management and safety management systems, and growing amounts of regulation and (in some jurisdictions where there is outcome based regulation) safety cases. For the workforce this then translates into large and cumbersome processes and procedures that are often unwieldy and in some cases counterproductive.

I t is impossible for any worker to know and understand the content of many of these documents, for example, a mining company with a 72 page traffic management plan and an oil company

with a 300 plus page flange management procedure. Tools that were designed to provide clarity now sometimes have the opposite result. For example, bowties, which are a marvellous tool, are sometimes so complex that it is not possible to readily comprehend the important threats and controls they attempt to describe. At Noetic Group, we have seen bowties that have over twenty threats and dozens of controls.

KLUDGEOCRACYAssociate Professor Steven Teles from John

Hopkins University described the impact of complexity on the United States political system as follows:

“Understanding, describing, and addressing this problem of complexity and incoherence is the next great American political challenge — we have no name for the dispute between complexity and simplicity in government. For lack of a better alternative, the problem of complexity might best be termed the challenge of kludgeocracy.”

Arguably we have developed a form of kludgeocracy in the risk and safety field. It is difficult for frontline workforce to know and understand what they need to be doing when confronted with

large and complex process and procedure manuals. Indeed it has been posited that some of these manuals are developed more to protect the company rather than to assist the worker.

SO WHAT CAN BE DONE?Noetic’s experience is that risk and safety

outcomes can be improved by focusing on what is important. Through distilling what really matters from bowties, processes, procedures and other guidance, it is possible to develop readily comprehensible and straightforward guidance to the workforce on managing the critical controls that they are working on. This does not negate all of the detail in the background such as HAZIDs and the like, rather it is a logical extension to make sure that they are implemented consistently and successfully.

Successful critical control management

• focuses on what is important,

• is readily comprehensible,

• should be no more than two pages long,

• simply describes how the control is implemented and what good looks like,

• provides clear guidance on accountabilities (including for verification) and

• provides a line of sight.

LEADERSHIP!Successfully reducing complexity through

critical control management is dependent on the role of leadership. Not only is leadership needed to drive the implementation process, it is also critical to ensuring its effectiveness. Leaders need to clearly understand what is critical to the business and the risks it faces. The process also allows them to understand and check that the critical controls are being

successfully managed across their organisation. In the first instance, it will focus reporting on the health of critical controls and, perhaps most importantly, it allows them to go and check the effectiveness of these controls regardless of their own technical knowledge. In doing so, it provides them with a tool to help determine if the work they imagine is getting done is in fact, being done.

REGULATORSThe approach of critical control

management is a tool that can be used by regulators. By adopting the same methodology, regulators are able to focus on the important controls and to make judgements on the effectiveness of these controls. In doing so, it supports effective regulation when regulators are looking at controls that they have only limited technical knowledge of. It provides a mechanism to check an operator’s efforts on managing catastrophic risks where there is a temptation to concentrate on personal safety risks (slips, trips and falls).

I mportantly, this is not theory. There are many companies that have implemented this approach. ENFORM, the Canadian industry association for oil and gas and tar sands, has incorporated the approach in

its guidance on process safety. The International Council on Mining and Minerals has released a good practice guide and an implementation guide on critical control management.

Using critical control management to simplify the complexity of safety systems will reduce the current safety kludgeocracy. While useful in itself, a reduction in the number of catastrophic incidents is the goal.

Peter Murphy is a Co-founder and Director of the Noetic Group which has offices in Australia and the USA. He has worked with a range of oil and gas, mining and government organisations to improve risk, safety and its regulation. [email protected]


T rinidad and Tobago, like so many other natural resource dependent countries, has to grapple with a new economic reality and therefore should look to other

options to achieve economic growth.

ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION THROUGH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Our suggestion is that we diversify in a manner that develops our innovative and entrepreneurial human capacity and build on the significant national investments in education. As English writer Samuel Johnson once said, “When a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully”. In this context, the current economic climate presents opportunities for us to recalibrate and to explore different approaches to achieving our medium- and long-term sustainable development goals.

A key component of our vision for the UWI at St. Augustine is to solidify the “innovation imperative” for Caribbean sustainable development-- innovation as a product or process that is novel AND has already begun to bring value to society. Although the vast majority of experts posit innovation in the economic space, innovation can occur also in social and ecological spheres as well, buttressing the triple helix of sustainable development. It is rare to find innovations that occur uniquely in one sphere. Innovations that impact on the economic space, more often than not, provide social or ecological benefit. Consequently, any response to the innovation imperative must be multi-disciplinary; however, the economic dimension is critical in fuelling the social and ecological dimensions. In short, wealth generation is necessary, though not quite sufficient, for societal survival and its sustainable development.

T he very novelty of an innovation results in value added that fosters competitive advantage, wealth generation and economic growth, which, if carefully

Written by Professor Brian Copeland and Dr. Marlene Attzs

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The term “sustainable development” was first coined in a report to the UN by the Bruntland Commission in 1987 as “…development that meets the needs of the present [generation] without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The term therefore inherently captures the objective of ensuring the survival of the human race into perpetuity. It is generally accepted that sustainable development requires that social, economic and ecological aspects of our existence are equally and adequately addressed.

Education

NARROWING THE EDUCATION/INNOVATION GAP AS A PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

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nurtured and managed, ultimately results in intra- and inter-generational development or sustainable development1.

THE GERMAN MODELHuman capital, defined basically as the

level of skills inherent in a national labour force, is generally taken as the return on the national investment in education. Human capital2 contributes to long-run economic growth, which in turn leads to sustainable development and an improvement in the state of the society. A useful point made by Dowrick (2002) is that “… ideas do not reproduce themselves without the input of highly skilled researchers... Perhaps of equal importance, the more skilled the workforce, the better they are able to absorb, implement and adapt the new ideas emanating from the R&D sector….”. The critical nature of the nexus between education and innovation results in long-term economic growth.

P erhaps the most globally well-known success story of education linked to innovation and entrepreneurship might be found in the “German Mittelstand” model – an economic model that

focuses on generations rather than on quarterly figures; on diversity and on innovation. The Mittelstand is described as the “…backbone of the German economy”.3 The German government recognises its role as facilitator to ensure that innovation and entrepreneurship, as embodied in the Mittelstand model, is allowed to flourish and contribute to national economic growth and sustainable development. The German government recently articulated a new policy to ensure the Mittelstand remains “… vigorous, strong and innovative in the face of a wide range of challenges in the age of globalisation, digitisation and demographic change…”.

Regional economies, particularly the economy of Trinidad and Tobago, have relied primarily on imported technology, dominated by large-scale plants. However, adoption

1 Joseph Schumpeter (1912) described development as an historical process of structural changes, substantially driven by innovation. He divided the innovation process into four dimensions: invention, innovation, diffusion and imitation.

2 Dowrick (2002) provides a distinction between embodied and disembodied human capital. Human capital in the form of abilities and skills, such as the ability required to drive a car or operate a machine or communicate via the internet, is embodied inasmuch as it lives and dies with particular people. Disembodied human capital is the realm of knowledge and ideas which do not live and die with their inventors but can be transmitted freely between people and carried forward over generations.

3 https://www.bmwi.de/English/Redaktion/Pdf/future-of-the-german-mittelstand, property=pdf,bereich=bmwi2012,sprache=en,rwb=true.pdf

of a more aggressively innovative culture strengthens the ability of local companies to compete internationally. This culture also, more significantly, empowers citizens to develop export oriented SMEs. This, in turn, enables a shift in Caribbean economies to a structure not unlike the German Mittelstand in which approximately 500 large companies, 11,000 middle level companies and 4 million SMEs earn roughly the same amount of foreign exchange as Germany does.

Building effective innovative cultures across the Caribbean will require specific strategies that seek to develop an effective innovation ecosystem, including the following institutional and enabling environments:

1. National and Regional Innovation Systems that provide the systems and support for anyone to move a creative concept to commercial reality and connect idea generation with successful implementation, e.g. effective partnership between governments, academia and industry. These systems require several components, such as:

• Centres of Excellence that exploit new technologies, selected through a strategically designed research agenda (e.g. tertiary education institutions); Business development facilities, funded on a long-term scale that can exploit the opportunities created by the Centres or provide D&R ideas to the Centres;

• Financing systems that provide for physical and human resources, D&R grants, seed money and venture capital and encourage corporate venturing for start-up investment, early stage investment and longer term investment (“shark tank” mode);

• Legal framework that includes IP protection instruments; and

• Coordinating institution(s) to integrate and network the above “diamond points”.

2. Strategic resource direction to persons engaged in the creative processes in the Arts and Technology.

This approach goes against the typical funding paradigm that targets development from the top down, often attempting to clone frameworks and systems from the developed nations or to prematurely set up physical infrastructure. The structure and framework required to build national and regional systems will not result in the required transformation without the people with the ideas.

3. Restructure and overhaul the entire education system to effectively nurture and develop innovative capacity while ensuring that every citizen is provided the opportunity to access effective and utile education and training across the education spectrum.

Critical review elements should include:

• A curriculum and pedagogy, particularly at secondary level and below, that discourages rote learning and encourages creativity without suppressing innate capabilities.

• Aggressive marketing and strategising to eliminate, once and for all, the stigma against technical vocational education and training.

• Increased emphasis on building the capabilities and competencies of teachers at early childhood and primary levels.

• Clear delineation of the roles and responsibilities of the education network, guided by a comprehensive educational policy to reduce or eliminate extensive redundancies in delivery, to agree and drive articulation across the network so as to support a seamless education system, to ensure that specific nuances of various demographics are addressed and to ensure that the spectrum of workforce requirements are fully covered.

BUSINESS AS UNUSUALWe have entered into a new economic

era of “business as unusual”-- one in which we have to find new and innovative ways to propel our economies towards sustainable development. Education and innovation go hand in hand and can help our economies to realise development objectives contained in the Sustainable Development Goals, and put us on a development trajectory that recalibrates how we educate our citizens and allows them to realise their innate creative potential, while growing our economies.

Prof. Brian Copeland is Pro Vice Chancellor and Campus Principal of the University of the West Indies St. Augustine. Dr. Marlene Attzs is an Advisor to the Campus Principal. She is corresponding author on this article and may be contacted at

[email protected]


HSSE

CYBER HYGIENE

Cyber security presents an array of information as it constantly changes the language and focus of cyber exploits and responses. Readily available

information provides security insights and practices, though it tends to be tailored toward particular organisational actors like IT professionals and Human Resource personnel.

The abundance of information can be overwhelming and nearly impossible to implement. However, the Center for Internet Security (CIS) Critical Security Controls can assist organisations in prioritising cyber security actions in an efficient and effective way, allowing both proactive and reactive security protocols to be applied.

The 20 Critical Security Controls provides actions that prioritise security tasks while maintaining industry standards. Unique organisational traits can be adapted with each security control. Although implementing 20 different controls may seem daunting, they can be grouped to ensure a successful performance.

SIMILAR TO A BROADWAY SHOW

A successful implementation could be viewed as being similar to a Broadway show. IT professionals will need to work ‘behind the scenes’ to ensure systems are secure for each ‘performance’ of the work day. Just as actors and actresses must practise their lines, and props be built to give context to the script, organisations must have policies and procedures to guide everyone associated with the company in following ‘best practices’. Using this analogy, organisations can group the security controls into front stage, back stage and production sections to engage all employees, staff, management and contractors in cyber security.

The Show Must Go On

Written by Jennifer Gossett, Ben Dadson and Kathy West

FRONT STAGEThe ‘front stage’ controls refer to the

employees’ workplace, which is visible to the public. Just as actors and actresses have cues to help them perform, employees have desktops that are critical to their work. Accordingly, cyber security professionals should inventory the devices and programmes in use, identifying those which should not be accessed. Additionally, directors must monitor actors continually so their vulnerabilities are not exposed on stage, while IT professionals do the same in protecting browsers, devices and workstations.

BACKSTAGE‘Backstage’ personnel must perform their

duties to guarantee all other organisational members can fulfil their roles, which is similar to a backstage crew diligently setting up prior to the show by merging scripts, front stage props, and clean up. The responsibilities of this group are great, though perhaps unnoticed. The same could be said for the ‘backstage’ security controls.

Backend systems should be secured by configuring network devices with PPS (ports, protocols and services) restrictions, while also controlling the path from the public network to the private network. Securing a wireless network requires effective management. As an understudy takes the lead, adjustments need to happen, just as backend systems code reviews may need to be adapted prior to deployment of a new system or software. Monitoring, whether backstage personnel or traffic into each system, should be part of the day-to-day operations.

A successful implementation of Critical Security Controls could be viewed as being similar to the production of a Broadway show.


SCRIPTA show cannot exist without a script, which provides

the lines and actions of the actors as well as assures the theme is relayed on stage through props and costumes. Organisations must have very similar ‘production’ security controls in place with the development and implementation of policies and procedures, for employees and management to follow. The director must monitor the actors to keep them focused, as IT security staff should be active in monitoring privileges, assessments, training and testing. Ensuring props are appropriate for each scene in a play is similar to monitoring accounts and testing responses, as well as checking data protection outlets.

EFFECTIVE CYBER DEFENSE SYSTEMImplementation of the CIS Critical Security Controls is

sweeping the U.S. in both the private and public sectors. The controls represent a prioritised, well-vetted and supported security action that organisations can use to assess and improve their current security state. The CIS Critical Controls represent the critical principles for an effective cyber defence system.

Offence informs defence: Knowledge of attacks provides the foundation to continually learn from these events to build effective, practical defences that have truly worked. Prioritisation: Invest in controls that provide the greatest risk reduction and protection against the most dangerous threat actors within each unique computing environment.

Metrics: Establish a shared language for executives, IT specialists, auditors, and security officials to examine the effectiveness of organisational security measures to adjust and implement accordingly.

Continuous diagnostics and mitigation: Consistently test and validate the effectiveness of current security measures and prioritise next steps.

Automation: Automate defences to achieve reliable, scalable, and continuous measurements of adherence to controls and related metrics.

Processing the 20 Critical Security Controls into a front stage, back stage and production grouping will assist organisations in its implementation and use. Its practice provides organisations with an effective and applied security plan. Cyber security must be viewed as a permanent ‘show’ within a company, and not a ‘week-long play’ or special project. The show must go on!

Jennifer Gossett is ais an Associate Professor in IUP’s Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Ben Dadson is the Coordinator of IUP’s Desktop Services Team.

Kathy West is a Systems Analyst in IUP’s Enterprise Systems team. They were both speakers at the 20th HSSE Conference and Exhibition.

A script provides the lines and actions of the actors as well as assures the theme is relayed on stage through props and costumes. Organisations must develop and implement policies and procedures, or the scripts, for employees and management to follow.


KNOW THY COUNCILInnovative Strategies for Healthcare Oversight

in Trinidad and Tobago

HSSE

By Kelly-Ann Phillips

I n the face of what many may consider too many allegations of healthcare malpractice, medical negligence and quackery in Trinidad and Tobago, it may be useful to

take note of the mechanisms in place for healthcare oversight and monitoring in our country. One such mechanism, and the focus of this article, is the appointment of Councils by Government to regulate healthcare practices through the registration and monitoring of healthcare practitioners.

In Trinidad and Tobago, these Councils include:

• The Dental Council of Trinidad & Tobago

• The Medical Council of Trinidad & Tobago

• The Nursing Council of Trinidad & Tobago

• The Pharmacy Council of Trinidad & Tobago

• The Trinidad & Tobago Opticians Registration Council

• The Council for Professions Related to Medicine of Trinidad & Tobago (having oversight of boards of Radiographers, Medical Lab Technicians, Physiotherapists, Medical & Psychiatric Social Workers, Nutritionists & Dieticians and Occupational & Speech & Language Therapists)

Collectively, these Councils are responsible for the oversight and monitoring of thousands of locally registered healthcare providers (in the case of the Nursing Council, upwards of 20,000), and these registrants have diverse geographic locales both in Trinidad and Tobago and abroad. This vast responsibility, where service as a Council member is an engagement alongside the individual’s main economic activity, may predispose Councils to innovations which promote efficiency in the administration of their critical function. Thus, the following are some strategies which could enhance the function of these overseeing bodies, reduce administrative barriers and foster convenience as a facilitator of practitioner compliance.

ENABLE ONLINE PAYMENTSOnce an applicant’s registration has been

approved, the payment of fees is mandatory in order to initiate and maintain registration. Further, fees are also payable for temporary registration, the supply of duplicate certificates and other specified services. Unfortunately, the manual process currently in place for making these payments has been cited as burdensome by many registrants. As a result, payment deadlines slip as does the practitioner’s registration status, impacting his/her legal standing and ability to operate legitimately.

Accordingly, innovations for Council administration must consider facilities for receiving payment information online. Once payment has been made, proof of registration (e.g. an official receipt and/or certificate of registration) can be sent electronically to new or renewing registrants. This negates the requirement for a practitioner to visit the Council office to pay fees or to obtain evidence of his/her registration.

ENLIST PRACTITIONER ASSISTANCE

In the travel industry, airlines have allowed passengers to book their own tickets, make flight arrangements, even check in and receive boarding passes on-line. This has significantly improved the administration of travel arrangements and the airline’s customer

Government appoints healthcare practitioner councils to deal with allegations of malpractice, medical negligence and quackery.

OPTIMISE THE INITIAL REGISTRATION PROCESS

By law, healthcare practitioners must be enrolled in a national overseeing Council in order to operate legitimately in Trinidad and Tobago. However, the costs for professionals seeking registration can be very high. Commonplace are occurrences of applicants bringing in incorrect documents and having to return. A further complication is presented when applicants are resident abroad and documents such as university certificates, birth certificates or forms of personal identification have to be submitted to the Council as a necessary part of the application process.

As a partial remedy, several Councils have sought to publish all registration requirements online via their websites, so that applicants can be certain of the registration requirements prior to making an application. Notwithstanding, there is room for innovations to further optimise the process.

A useful amendment to the current registration workflow may be to enable the submission of applications and supporting documents via an online medium

—such as a secure registration portal—for preliminary review by the Council. Beyond enabling individual Council members to preview application documents, the registration portal could facilitate an online collaborative assessment of the application with other Council members. If incomplete, incorrect or otherwise invalid documentation is submitted, the Council can advise the applicant virtually and continue the exchange online toward fulfilment of the application requirement. Although this online workflow will not (in the case of Trinidad and Tobago) negate the need for original hard copy documents to be eventually submitted, it could certainly improve the friendliness and efficiency of the process, and thereby decrease the temptation for a practitioner to operate without a licence.


service. Similarly, it may prove strategic for healthcare oversight bodies to provide online registrant records (or profiles) so that the registrant has secure access to update his/her own data.

To illustrate, some Councils in Trinidad & Tobago stipulate a minimum requirement of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) undertakings to maintain registration. CPD refers to the maintenance of the currency of one’s skills and practices with advancements in one’s chosen profession. In this context, a healthcare professional may see value in being able to update his own online registrant record with any academic or training programmes completed. He may also find value in being able to provide real time updates to his registration record of any operational changes, such as business location, telephone number or email address.

ENLIST CITIZEN ASSISTANCEAn innovative way to motivate practitioners

to maintain their registration and the legitimacy of their practice is by enlisting the assistance of the general public. Councils can empower citizens to make informed decisions about their healthcare professional by making public the provider’s legitimacy, and encouraging

customers to avoid providers who are not “in good standing” in the judgement of their overseeing professional authority.

Although the practice of publishing annual listings in the “Gazette” is already in place, its effectiveness for citizen empowerment could be improved by making such listings:

• More easily accessible, by publishing online and interactive listings

• More current, by allowing real-time updates to online lists in line with changes in a registrant’s status

C itizens could also be provided with an online facility to easily report any experience of professional malpractice or insufficiency from their healthcare provider, so that the

matter can be investigated and appropriate action taken by the relevant authority.

The essence of the innovative strategies presented is a general movement toward minimising the administrative barriers to practitioner compliance so as to also minimise the tendency to practise outside of the law. This movement is expected to foster an “all-hands-on deck” approach, engaging civilians, registrants and overseeing bodies in a move toward a safer health sector in Trinidad and Tobago.

Innovative strategies include a general movement toward minimising the administrative barriers to practitioner compliance so as to also minimise the tendency to practice outside of the law. It fosters an “all-hands-on deck” approach, engaging civilians, registrants and overseeing bodies.

Kelly-Ann Phillips – Director, Business Development, INFOCOMM Technologies [email protected]


A NEW AGE OF BANKING

G abriel Abed, CEO and co-founder of Bitt Inc, based in Barbados, believes that bitcoin currency is an innovation that Caribbean economies can use as a tool to

level the playing field in terms of driving growth within a global environment. Although he sees bitcoin as being the currency of the future, he admits that most of the resistance to it lies in the misconception and misinformation surrounding it.

In a recent interview with the Jamaican Observer, Abed stated that “the Bitcoin revolution is what email was to snail mail years ago: more efficient, easier to monitor and track.” He added that “the high fee structure currently in operation by most of the financial service centres is incongruent with the concept of banking as operating in service to the people.”1

The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago recently announced its intention to change the metal composition of the 5, 10 and 25 cent coins, and to eliminate the 1 cent coin (which currently costs 21 cents to mint) in 2017. The change in the metal composition and the elimination of the 1 cent coin are expected to save the CBTT about TT$15 million annually in minting costs. This illustrates one issue with the use of traditional currency (coins and paper). You need to spend money in order to make the money a country uses.

Another issue with traditional currency is the variation in currency valuations and foreign exchange fluctuations. These systems are subject to many market shocks, and currency shortages make it challenging for many to do business. Many people feel that this system puts many people, businesses and economies at a disadvantage.

An alternative to these challenges may lie in the use of an alternate payment system. One such alternative, bitcoin, promises to level the playing field and promotes easier access to

1 http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business/Gabriel-Abed-converting-naysayers-to-change-Caribbean-economy-bit-by-bit_86194

Distributed Data Systems and Block Chain Technology: Financial Innovation for a Changing Industry

Written by Rasheed Griffith

Finance

funds to trade. While bitcoin may sound like a futuristic, underworld currency, it is currently in use by many reputable businesses in countries all over the world.

WHAT ARE WE REALLY TALKING ABOUT?

Fundamentally, financial assets are contracts. Every purchase or sale transaction, currency, higher-order or synthetic financial instrument, in every accounting system, is based on a contract between, at least, two parties; usually consisting of, at least, two elements: an offer and an acceptance. Future transactions may consist of an offer, sent

electronically in programming languages, and their acceptance sent back to you. These electronic messages can be digitally signed, and are equally as enforceable as written contracts.

It is on this contractual basis that decentralised and distributed databases (DDs or more commonly known as distributed ledger technology, DLT) have developed. DDs represent a programmable contract execution system that is secured via cryptographic methods. The most prevalent example of this system is the well-known bitcoin implementation. It is said that bitcoin has wide-reaching implications for finance because, primarily, it allows institutions to send payments faster.

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Distributed Data Systems connect all financial institutions with each other.


This, however, represents a grave inconsistency in the functionality of the system relative to its operational qualities. Descriptions of bitcoin such as these make regulatory discussion of this technology challenging, as many myths need to be debunked first.

The idea of 'sending bitcoin' to someone has foundational misspecifications. This seems like a harmless statement, but let's examine the inconveniences of it. The story goes: bitcoin allows you to send payments to people anywhere in the world faster and cheaper than conventional methods. While there is truth to this, the reason it is faster is because the money does not have to be sent anywhere. What happens is that you ‘do a transaction’ by telling the network that a different address now controls the information (assets) that you previously controlled.

W hen you stop thinking of bitcoin (or any asset like money etc.) as a tangible token, but rather as information, you can quickly come to terms with why distributed

databases are faster and more efficient. Bitcoins are not really there. The network does not know what a bitcoin is. It only knows what information references are. The network does not do 'transactions', instead it conducts a series of offer and acceptance operations (inputs and outputs of references in a continuous log of information).

On an electronic database, the parameterised information is operating in a digital medium with digital, cryptographically secured, signatures or binary bits.

In November 2008, a white paper entitled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System" was released by someone going by the user name Satoshi Nakamoto to a cryptography mailing list. This paper essentially laid out a vision for an “electronic cash system that is fully peer-to-peer with no trusted third party”. See the full paper at https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf

The authors of that paper described the term ‘coin’ as a chain of digital signatures. However, along the way this meaning was lost. It is important to adhere to the original meaning in order to clear the clutter that hinders accurate regulatory policies.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR BANKING OPERATIONS?

Today’s global payments infrastructure moves money from one payment system to another through a series of internal databases (book transfers) across financial institutions. Because these databases occur across different systems with a low level of coordination, funds settlement is slow (often 3-5 days minimum with sometimes weeks of queries, frustrating customers in significant ways), error prone (error rates run upwards of 13%), costly ($1.6 trillion in system wide costs for global cross-border transactions) and not as secure as was previously believed.

It would seem that a secure universal database shared among financial institutions would pragmatically solve these problems. Decentralised (universal) databases are just that solution. In the current financial system, databases represent record keepers of contracts (assets: like currency). So then, on DDs, making a “payment” of $100 from institution A in the USA to institution B in Barbados is exactly the same as executing a contract on a shared database that changes the terms to say that institution B is now in control of assets formerly controlled by institution A. The assets were not sent anywhere. They exist on the shared database before and after the “transaction” (contract execution).

DDs are exciting because they have the potential to minimise settlement risk and eliminate the need for financial institutions to collateralise nostro accounts around CARICOM and the world, resulting in a lower total cost of settlement than ever before.

G lobally, just as the redundancy of nostro accounts needed to service international payments for correspondent banks can be consolidated into one position pool

(using a database native vehicle asset), financial institutions can begin to consolidate collateral accounts needed to participate in different markets into single positions that can provide one point of interchange to every other financial instrument. This is the reason why major banks are seemingly moving so fast into this technology.

WHERE IS THIS TECHNOLOGY GOING?

The advent of DDs and bitcoin technology has had another effect that is seldom discussed. Computer scientists, technologists, software engineers and the like have been investing their time and seeking jobs in the financial industry in vastly larger numbers than before. The industry is no longer merely seen as a space ‘to earn money before you do interesting work’. The financial industry is now seen as the space where interesting work can be found. Hence the rapid rise of the FinTech space.

B itt Inc is the Caribbean’s first bitcoin exchange and trading platform and serves to provide an alternate way for individuals and companies to do business on a global scale without the

need for banks. Bitt Inc is harnessing this new energy, enthusiasm and interest in problem-solving for the financial industry. Bitt builds applications that are based on distributed ledger technologies that will translate into material reductions in the costs and risk profiles of financial institutions. Innovations in Know Your Customer systems have already begun to beneficially impact how financial institutions manage their customer data, and Bitt is building custom systems specifically for regional institutions. Additionally, software architecture advancements made by Bitt have opened the way to new payment channels that can enable Central Banks to issue their own digital currencies with minimal effort. The company sees that the implementation of these new technologies will signal a new age of banking and financial inclusion for the region. What is necessary is for financial institutions to work closely with FinTech firms like Bitt in order to take full advantage of what they offer.

Rasheed Griffith is Head of Regulatory Strategy & Market Intelligence of Bitt Inc.

Bitcoins are not really there. The network does not know what a bitcoin is. It only knows what information references are. The network does not do 'transactions', instead it conducts a series of offer and acceptance operations.


THE THIRD WAVE OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

HISTORY OF OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION

The twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is one of the oldest petroleum producing countries in the world with the first wave of commercial energy production beginning in 1908 with 37 barrels (bbls), and the first refinery in Point Fortin producing 1.603 thousand barrels per calendar day (Mbpcd) in 1913.

S even decades later, oil became the mainstay of the economy, and with the advent of the price hikes in 1973-1974, oil contributed more than 60% to total government revenues and 90% to

export earnings. After 70 years of operations with a cumulative production of 1.799 billion barrels (BNbbls), production peaked at 229.5 Mbpcd in 1978, and thereafter declined dramatically by 71.0 % to 66.2 Mbpcd (real terms) in July 2016 (equivalent to production levels in 1956 to 1957).

Also in the 1970s, there was a deliberate strategy to capture and monetise the country’s natural gas assets, and thus natural gas-based industrialisation became a cornerstone of the economic development strategy of Trinidad and Tobago. This led to the emergence of the natural gas sector in the second wave of energy development. The revenue earned from the petroleum and natural gas sector continues to be used to broaden the industrial base in the country, to promote social and welfare programmes, and to improve national infrastructure.

CURRENT OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION

The reality is, however, that these resources are in finite supply, and with reducing production from existing fields, the focus of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GORTT) is aimed at improving conventional oil production levels through

upstream activities in both onshore and offshore fields. The Government’s in-house predictive estimates for offshore deep water oil potential range from a low of 3.1 BNbbls to a high of 8.2 BNbbls of oil initially in place (OIIP). It is anticipated that the discovery of several oil and gas fields in offshore deep water areas off Trinidad’s east and north coasts may have the potential to deliver national production in 2 blocks and for revisiting old reservoirs in the Central and Southern Basin blocks.

W ith the oil and gas sector being the main income earner for the short to medium term, one must also note that the sector is a major foreign exchange earner and low

prices bring low foreign exchange availability and balance of payment issues. Current revenue streams to the GORTT are dependent upon fluctuating global prices and will impact upon contributions to the overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

TAR AND OIL SAND Trinidad and Tobago’s tar sand (oil sand)

resources, while smaller in scale, are of superior quality to those developed in Alberta, Canada, based upon an examination of bitumen grade percentage (%) to mining strip ratio. In fact, the deposit ranks in the top 8 in the world, 7 of which are in the Canadian Athabasca Oil Sand Deposits, the only developed reserves providing synthetic crude oil for over four decades.

If T&T were to explore the option of utilising this natural resource, this country could be on the cusp of an exciting third wave of energy development. This would involve the production of synthetic crude oils from its untapped unconventional bituminous resources located in the Forest Reserve, Parrylands, Guapo and Antilles-Vessigny production fields in the south-western peninsula of Trinidad. Currently, these are used for the production of conventional crude.

PRODUCTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

Methods for producing unconventional oil are fundamentally different. These include surface and sub-surface geological and geochemical characterisation, identification of relevant exploration and reservoir modelling techniques required to locate, quantify and exploit these resources using mining techniques, and bitumen recovery processes that can be applied to the host rock in an environmentally friendly way. In this regard, five commercial processes in the Province of Alberta, Canada have been identified. These are the Clark Hot Water Process (CHWP) or the Hot Water Extraction Process (HWE), the Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage Process (SAGD), Cyclic Steam Stimulation Process (CSS), Solvent Processes (SP), and Toe to Heel Air Injection System (THAI). A sixth technology, of immense interest, is a retort process with designed capability to extract the entire organic fraction from the tar sands ore, and simultaneously perform primary upgrading of bitumen to produce a pumpable distillate.

R eviews of Albertan extraction and processing technologies seek to underscore environmental concerns and the economics of the development and conversion of this resource in

Trinidad.

To understand the concerns of stakeholders for large development projects in the south-

Extraction and Production of Oil Sands in Trinidad and Tobago

Energy

T&T’s tar sand (oil sand) resources, while smaller in scale, are similar and of better quality to those developed in Alberta, Canada.

Written by Herbert Sukhu


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west peninsula, interviews and meetings were scheduled with different public and civil society groups. Stakeholders have expressed strong concerns for implementing either the CHWP/HWE or SPs. These concerns are supported by the unavailability of process water and potable domestic supply as well as the nature of plant tailings and effluent disposal in Alberta. For people living in these communities, fear of environmental compromise (through the use of extraction techniques with either water or solvents and derivatives of each) is real, whether or not these are contained and are recoverable from closed state systems.Stakeholders now require preliminary project development work for establishing a basis for due diligence, examining known and unknown impacts that can be correctly assessed based upon facts.

VIABILITYAn integrated financial and economic

model developed to determine project viability for synthetic crude oil (SCO) demonstrates production of either 11.0, 18.3 or 36.5 MMbbls annually over a proposed minimum project life of 25 years presenting a viable opportunity from these resources that will enhance the country‘s crude oil supply position as well as export earnings.

W ould the possible inclusion of an integrated oil project provide for additional significant future growth in the energy sector? SCOs of 37.5°API gravity can substitute and

add to dwindling local crude oil production, leading to a reduction in the dependence on similar quality crude oil imports. Revenue from energy sector exports is critical to the development of the country’s economy.

It is necessary to clarify that the GORTT is responsible for the management of the country’s energy and mineral resources and its development. However, no rational policy framework is available for review and decision-making relating to unconventional crude oil projects. Tar sand resources are not included in the MEEI‘s White Paper on its National Minerals Policy, and, as a result, opportunities to engage in the research stages of these and similar types of activities are challenging. The GORTT has not taken any decision to produce crude oil from these reserves; therefore, neither was an environmental impact assessment nor a certificate of environmental clearance proffered. Concomitantly, no structure exists in any institution for undertaking specific fatal flaw environmental impact studies relating to tar sands exploration, mining development, production and environmental mitigation

specific to unconventional petroleum production techniques. These are of relevance to this study.

What then can be done to move an unconventional crude oil production proposal to the next level? While the MEEI and the Trinidad and Tobago Petroleum Corporation (Petrotrin) have been promoting conventional projects, no formal and structured public policy position has been articulated regarding the development of these resources. However, earlier this year, the then Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, Nicole Olivierre, in her feature address to the Trinidad and Tobago Section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) conference in mid- June, noted that the country had to undertake “sustained monetisation” of all its energy resources, “including tar sands”. The minister made reference to tar sands as part of a host of activities she intended to undertake in the energy sector.

This opportunity for third wave energy development of unconventional synthetic crude oil production is not a gamble for Trinidad and Tobago, but is increasingly becoming an economic necessity for the country and our people.

Herbert Sukhu is the Executive Chairman of the Geominex Group of Companies


A MCHAM T&T hosted its Annual Post Budget Forum on Tuesday 4th October, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad. The event included a feature address by the Honourable Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister of Planning and Development, where she outlined some

of the major initiatives for the 2017 fiscal year and their impact on the economic and social development of Trinidad & Tobago.

AMCHAM T&T notes that some positive initiatives that have been articulated in this year’s budget are:

• The operationalisation of the Public Procurement Act. AMCHAM T&T has been deeply involved at all stages of getting this legislation off the ground through our efforts in the Private Sector Civil Society Group (PSCSG). We look forward to the establishment of the Office of Procurement Regulation (OPR), the Board of the OPR, and procurement units within the public service within the six months that the Minister outlined, and, more importantly, to the transparency in the implementation of this Act as articulated by the PSCSG to the Minister. The involvement of the private sector and civil society in the implementation of this Act is imperative, especially through groupings such as the PSCSG.

• The introduction of transfer price legislation.

• The removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on ship repairs.

• The review of the Petroleum tax regime.

POST-BUDGET FORUMAMCHAM T&T

• An increased level of commitment to Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).

The Chamber believes that the Government has recognised that it cannot be “business as usual” and that there were some measures in the Budget that may have a less than positive effect on economic growth. One of these measures is the introduction of the 30 percent increase in Corporation Tax on chargeable profit of over one million dollars per annum. AMCHAM T&T believes that this tax may prove to be counter-intuitive to the thrust of developing entrepreneurial activity. In addition, the higher effective tax rate will act as a disincentive to new investments, particularly in the non-energy sectors. This is an additional burden coming on the heels of the increase of the Business and Green Fund Levy.

With respect to the changes in Transfer Pricing legislation and Property Tax regime, AMCHAM T&T hopes that there will be adequate consultation with all sectors of the economy so that the best decisions are made.

Juan Jose Pradelli, Country Economist, Inter-American Development Bank; Nicole Joseph, Director - Tax KPMG; Ravi Suryadevara, President AMCHAM T&T; Honourable Minister Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister of Planning and Development; Nirad Tewarie, CEO AMCHAM T&T; Professor Brian Copeland Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal, U.W.I (St. Augustine Campus)

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR SPONSORS BPTT, KPMG, TRINVALCO,

ESAU OILFIELD SUPPLIES LIMITED & HYATT REGENCY.

1992-2017

YEARS

AMCHAM T&T TURNS 25!The origin of AMCHAM Trinidad and Tobago (AMCHAM T&T) goes back to December 1991, when the idea was raised at a U.S. business breakfast at the residence of the then U.S. Ambassador, Mrs. Sally Cowal. The idea was enthusiastically embraced and in April 1992, a group representative of 12 business enterprises held an historic meeting that took the first positive steps to form The American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago.

Developments came swiftly with setting up of the legal infrastructure, formal application to the President, registration and distribution of the AMCHAM T&T Articles of Association. In May 1993, the organisation was formally accepted as a member of the Association of American Chambers of Commerce of Latin America (AACCLA) and the Chambers of Commerce of the USA (COCUSA).

Throughout the last 25 years, AMCHAM T&T’s membership has grown and the chamber now boasts a total of 280 member companies, 75% of which are locally incorporated and 25% headquartered abroad. AMCHAM T&T has partnerships with members, Government Ministries and state agencies. As the “Pathway to the Americas”, we have partnered with international agencies as we continue to promote Trinidad & Tobago to the rest of the world. As the investment and export chamber, we recognise our role in the stimulation of trade, investment and export oriented growth in our economy.

Join us in 2017 as we celebrate 25 years of service excellence to our members, our nation and the Americas.

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§I n laying out the Legislative Agenda for 2015–2020,

Government set out a work plan against which its legislative progress can be measured. As discussed previously in this column, the Legislative Agenda has been segmented into short, medium and long-term lists.

In the short-term (2015–2017), government identified 46 pieces of legislation to introduce or amend. Work has begun on around 25% of those items— some have been laid in parliament and others are at various stages. A number of pieces of legislation have been brought forward for public discussion or parliamentary debate, including the Marriage (Amendment) Bill and the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill.

The Attorney General has signalled his intention to review and amend the Legislative Agenda in January of 2017. He spoke on this and other matters of national importance at AMCHAM T&T’s Economic Outlook meeting in January 2017.

Below, some of the pieces of legislation that are of particular interest to AMCHAM T&T members (although some of them did not make it to the existing Legislative Agenda):

FATCA (TAX INFORMATION EXCHANGE AGREEMENT BILL 2016)

A MCHAM T&T is disappointed by the continued delay in the passage of this piece of legislation, which is critical to our financial institutions and their viability. AMCHAM T&T’s view is that minor amendments can be made to the legislation without going to a Joint Select Committee, as this would cause

further delay while the deadline is looming. If the timeline is not adhered to, it could gravely affect the country’s ability to do business with the rest of the world and could adversely affect out trade relationship with our main trading partner – the United States. AMCHAM T&T eagerly awaits the operationalisation of this critical piece of legislation.

TRANSFER PRICING

G overnment has engaged the Inter-American Centre of Tax Administrators to work on a policy and legislation to govern transfer pricing. Transfer pricing rules seek to prevent pricing manipulation between related parties in order to achieve a tax advantage. The regulation would treat related parties as

if they were independent entities in an attempt to make sure that the rates charged between them are fair and in line with the “arm’s length” principle. Although transfer pricing legislation had been discussed since 2011, little progress has been made in this area. The hope is that 2017 will usher in a new transfer pricing regime after adequate consultation with the business community.

LEGISLATION TO WATCHWritten by A. Bruce, Research Officer AMCHAM T&T

PROPERTY TAX

I n the 2016/2017 National Budget Presentation, the Minister of Finance also indicated that the existing Property Tax Act would be put into full effect in fiscal year 2017. The Minister noted that under the Valuation of Land Act, which will see minor amendments, every owner is required to submit a return that will be used by the

Valuation Division of the Ministry of Finance to calculate the annual rental value of the property, failing which the Valuation Division would prepare its own assessment. AMCHAM T&T will keep you updated on the re-implementation of the Property Tax.

INSURANCE BILL 2016

T he Act to repeal and replace the Insurance Act, Chap. 84:01 intends to, among other things, reform the law relating to insurance companies and to regulate insurance businesses and privately administered pension fund plans. The purpose of the Insurance Bill, 2016 is to provide a new regulatory framework for

the insurance industry and to continue to provide for the regulation of privately administered pension fund plans and to repeal the existing Insurance Act, Chap. 84:01. The Bill as introduced requires a special (three-fifths) majority in order to be passed.

THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AND DISPOSAL OF PUBLIC PROPERTY (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2016

T he proposed amendment to the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act, 2015 aims to reduce the term of office for the Regulator and other members of the Board appointed to govern the Office of Procurement Regulation. The Bill was introduced in the Senate on 19th December 2016.

OTHER

A t AMCHAM T&T’S 20th Annual Health, Safety, Security and the Environment (HSSE) Conference hosted in November 2016, a representative of the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs indicated that under the partially proclaimed Data Protection Act, the Ministry of Public Administration is in the

process of establishing the Office of the Information Commission and appointing an Information Commissioner. Additionally, for 2017, the Ministry of the Attorney General is moving toward proclamation of sections of the Electronic Transactions Act that pertain to the admissibility of electronic signatures. The Ministry is also continuing work to bring the Cybercrime Bill and legislation pertaining to civil asset forfeiture to the Parliament.

As we keep abreast with changes to the legislative environment, AMCHAM T&T is often called upon to comment on draft legislation. We take the opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to this process by submitting comments and recommendations on legislation and look forward to your continued support in 2017.

AMCHAM T&T


A MCHAM T&T believes that diversification of products and services as well as markets is an imperative, as diversification allows companies to experience a measure

of stability and can increase revenue streams. Consequently, it is necessary that local companies look past the traditional CARICOM, US and European markets and look towards Latin America, which has been an increasingly attractive market.

ABOUT THE TRADE MISSIONAMCHAM T&T will be embarking on a trade

mission to Nicaragua from June 4-7, 2017. The trade mission will coincide with the Association of American Chambers of Commerce (AACCLA) Business Future of the Americas (BFA) Conference. The BFA Conference is one of AACCLA and AMCHAM’s premier events and boasts the participation of political figures, presidents, managers and CEOs from all 24 AMCHAMs in Latin America and the Caribbean, along with top executives from some of the most important companies in the region and influential thought leaders. Participants will be given the opportunity to engage in a generous

TRADE MISSION TO NICARAGUAWritten by Melissa PierreSenior Trade and Projects Officer, AMCHAM T&T

Eyes on the Americas

offering of private meetings, social activities, and captivating world renowned speakers.

WHY NICARAGUA?The Nicaraguan market offers Trinidad and

Tobago firms the opportunity to diversify away from traditional markets, many of which are also facing challenging times. According to the World Bank, “Despite global economic turbulence, Nicaragua has stood out for maintaining growth levels above the average for Latin America and the Caribbean.” Market entry into Nicaragua offers the opportunity for firms to grow and expand; it also allows for increased production levels, employment and productivity. Nicaragua’s GDP increased by an estimated 4.9% in 2015, and the Central Bank of Nicaragua forecasts GDP growth of 4.5% for both 2016 and 2017.

Nicaragua’s largest trading partner is the United States of America and it has important trading relationships with Venezuela, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Mexico and the European Union. According to the 2016 Doing Business in Nicaragua, Nicaragua offers business opportunities in the tourism and mining sectors that are enhanced by attractive tax incentives.

These include exemptions from import duties, property-tax incentives and income tax relief. The country also has a well-established free trade zone regime with major investments in textiles, auto harnessing, construction, medical equipment, call centres and back office centres. To attract investors, Nicaragua offers significant tax incentives. Further, market opportunities exist in the following sectors: construction, food processing and packaging equipment and hotel and restaurant equipment.

AMCHAM T&T will host a Business seminar on the business opportunities in Nicaragua in April 2017, at which time more information would be made available. To be included in this event or to get more information about the Business Seminar or the Pre-Mission, please contact AmCham T&T at 622-0340 ext. 227 or email [email protected]

Nicaragua

Costa RicaPanama

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AACCLA CALENDAR OF EVENTSFEBRUARY 7-9, 2017 AACCLA'S 2017 STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT, INCLUDING THE "OUTLOOK ON THE AMERICAS" CONFERENCE, ORGANISED BY AACCLA AND THE U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

February 7: AACCLA Governing Board Meeting and Strategic Planning RetreatVenue: Biltmore Hotel, Miami, Florida

February 7: AACCLA Strategic Planning Retreat and AmCham CEO MeetingVenue: Biltmore Hotel, Miami, Florida

February 8: AACCLA "Outlook on the Americas" Conference and ReceptionVenue: Biltmore Hotel, Miami, Florida

JUNE 5-7, 2017 AACCLA'S 2017 MID-YEAR MEETING, INCLUDING THE "BUSINESS FUTURE OF THE AMERICAS" CONFERENCE, ORGANISED BY AACCLA, THE U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND AMCHAM NICARAGUA

June 5: "Business Future of the Americas" ConferenceVenue: Managua, Nicaragua

June 6: Mid-year Meeting including Governing Board and General AssemblyVenue: Managua, Nicaragua

June 7: AmCham CEO MeetingVenue: Managua, Nicaragua

4 0 Y E A R S O F EXC E L L E N C E A N D B E YO N D


DOING BUSINESS IN LATIN AMERICA FOCUS ON CHILE & COLOMBIA

AMCHAM T&T hosted its Doing Business in Latin America event on Tuesday 6th December, 2016. This annual event, hosted in partnership with DHL Limited, is in keeping with AMCHAM T&T’s unique positioning as “The Pathway to the Americas”.

Nirad Tewarie, CEO of AMCHAM T&T, emphasized the importance of “thinking about the CARICOM PLUS era” and looking to Latin America. This year, the event’s focus was on Chile and Colombia because of the significant growth of the two economies. In addition, the Government of Trinidad & Tobago started exploratory talks with Chile regarding a partial scope trade agreement.

WHY CONSIDER A PARTIAL SCOPE AGREEMENT WITH CHILE• stable economy that is in expansion

• diversification: new markets for T&T non-energy manufacturers, service companies and financial companies

• competitiveness: importation of Mediterranean-type Chilean products into T&T will increase competitive pressure on local companies, which is good for the consumer

• opportunities for investments

• participation in Chile's extensive Free Trade Agreement network

WHAT COLOMBIA HAS TO OFFER• stable and dynamic economy

• strategically located in the region

• multiple development centres and regions

• a growing middle class with increasing demand for products and services

• diverse opportunities for investment in a variety of sectors

• growing pool of qualified companies able to partner with international investors to reach out to regional markets

• a trade platform with over 10 Trade Agreements enable investors to reach third markets with preferential access

AMCHAM T&T looks forward to working with our 23 sister AMCHAMs in this hemisphere, the US Chamber of Commerce and the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America and the Caribbean (AACCLA). AMCHAM T&T uses this unique position to promote the interest of our country and the businesses

we represent. If you want to access the Americas, AMCHAM T&T should be on your list as the first port of call.

Reiner Wolfs, CEO, Caribbean Region, DHL Express

Exports are increasing with some of our partner countries. Trinidad and Tobago increased exports to Cuba and Peru over the period 2012 -2015. Moreover we had positive trade balances with several countries in 2015 including Argentina, Peru, Dominican Republic, Chile, Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica.”

(Minister of Trade and Investment, Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee Scoon)


Giscad ad half page

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3 321: Mitchell De Silva, Vice President AMCHAM T&T; Reiner Wolfs, CEO, Caribbean Region, DHL Express; Rosa Carolina Garzon Rodriguez - Trade Representative for T&T, Barbados, Guyana and Suriname at PROCOLMBIA; Nirad Tewarie, CEO AMCHAM T&T and Dwight Brown, CEO exporTT | 2: His Excellency High Commissioner David Prendergast, High Commissioner for Jamaica and Dr. Monica Davis, Honourary Consul for The Bahamas in T&T listening intently to the presentations. | 3: His Excellency, Fernando Schmidt, Ambassador of Chile sharing insights into trade with Chile

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MORE PATHWAY TO THE AMERICAS

O n 20th December 2016, AMCHAM T&T member Lazzari & Sampson Ltd. hosted the inaugural arrival of Air Canada Rouge at Piarco Airport. This new, twice-weekly service from Toronto to Port of Spain will create yet another “Pathway to the

Americas” for travellers between the two countries and beyond—a welcomed addition in particular for business travellers, but also for much-needed tourism arrivals.

Canada has traditionally been an important trading partner for Trinidad and Tobago. Back in the age of sail and steam, ships used to bring ice, salt fish, machinery and dry goods from Canada to Trinidad, and returned north laden with agricultural products, sugar, rum, molasses and cocoa. For more than a century, Canadian companies have come to Trinidad and Tobago, setting up branch offices in the islands—and some joining AMCHAM T&T as members.

Lazzari & Sampson Ltd., a long-standing AMCHAM T&T member, has recently been appointed agents for Air Canada Rouge in Trinidad and Tobago. The inaugural Rouge flight AC1880, a 280-seat Boeing 767-300ER, marked the beginning of twice-weekly, non-stop service from Toronto to Piarco International Airport.

“In today’s fiercely competitive global marketplace, consistent, reliable and competitive air access is the lifeblood of any modern economy," looptt quotes Minister Cudjoe as saying in her address at the welcome reception for flight AC1880. She outlined the Government of Trinidad and Tobago's efforts to attract additional airlift both to Trinidad and to Tobago, which already resulted in Condor and Thomas Cook offering an additional service to Tobago from Munich, Germany, since November 2016. “We are in discussions with several other airlines – including Eurowings, Norwegian Airlines and Air Berlin – all in our efforts to secure additional airlift,” the Minister added.

“In addition to being a popular vacation destination for Canadians, Canada and Trinidad and Tobago have longstanding ties with many Canadians of Trinidadian descent, visiting friends and relatives,” said Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines at Air Canada. “There

AMCHAM T&T Member Lazzari & Sampson Ltd. has been appointed agent for a new airlink between T&T and Toronto

Eyes on the Americas

are also substantial business ties. This new service will connect conveniently with our extensive domestic and international network through our Toronto-Pearson global hub.”

The flight service operates on a limited schedule, flying on Tuesdays and Thursdays weekly. Bon Voyage!

Lazzari & Sampson Ltd. was formed in 1952 by Phillip S. Lazzari and J. Melville Sampson through acquisition and merger of Pompignan & Co. Ltd. (est. 1930) and Bradshaw and Co. (Trinidad) Ltd. (est in 1940). Initially, the company were agents for Air France and for steamship lines Compagnie Generale Transatlantique and the Horn Line. Over the years, many other agencies were added, and today, Lazzari & Sampson promotes many air lines, cruise lines, resorts, tour operators and car rental companies to the public and private sectors and to other travel agencies.

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The Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe, Minister of Tourism, greeted the first contingent of passengers on the inaugural Air Canada Rouge flight.

The Honourable Minister offers a smiling welcome and a gift to the captain and crew of Rouge flight AC1880.

Written by Alice Besson


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The Honourable Minister is joined by Her Excellency Carla Hogan Rufelds, High Commissioner of Canada to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and the captain and crew of AC1880.

Rouge flight AC1880 making its first arrival to T&T.

The Trinidad and Tobago Fire Services were on hand to give a spectacular water jet salute to Rouge flight AC1880 upon arrival.

Watch the video on http://lasamltdtt.com/index.html


I n an ultra-competitive global environment, every company is focused on winning business, clients, and market share. One activity that has shown merit when a company is trying to gain entrance into a new market is Business to Business matchmaking.

The American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad & Tobago regularly offers Business to Business matchmaking services for companies seeking to make inroads into the Trinidad & Tobago market. Good Business to Business matchmaking doesn’t just involve searching for potential matches when the company receives the request. Rather, finding a good match for our clients requires knowing who is available, and having them in our database when the right fit comes along. As the Pathway to the Americas, we have positioned ourselves to serve as a platform for international networking and facilitating direct business contacts. Finding and connecting foreign partners – suppliers, dealers, agents, customers, project partners, and the development of ideas and topics for international cooperation are priorities for us.

In October 2016, AMCHAM T&T provided matchmaking services for Febest Auto parts. Febest is a manufacturer of steering and suspension components for Japanese vehicles. They carry auto parts for Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, and other major brands. They serve every major market around the globe, manufacturing for over 18 years about 120 new products per month, and carving out a niche with 800 market exclusive part designs. To serve the Caribbean and Latin America markets, they are strategically located in Miami, Florida.

Febest became interested in the Trinidad and Tobago market shortly after opening in Miami. “Trinidad has mainly right-hand-drive vehicles, which is our company's specialty. Most of the vehicles there are imported from Japan, and our slogan is ‘German efficiency for Japanese vehicles’, so Trinidad was a perfect fit for us. T&T has a very robust auto parts market, with high consumer incomes and modest competition from the aftermarket,” said Aaron Newman, Wholesale Manager, Febest Auto Parts Miami.

Newman further added that Febest became interested in working with AMCHAM T&T after having previous success with other AmCham organisations in countries like Jamaica and Guatemala. “We knew AMCHAM T&T would be able to match us with some great clients and facilitate everything we needed to begin doing business in this market."

Febest indicated that the major challenge they faced in entering the T&T market was getting the customer's attention. “We tried calling around and introducing our products, but it was difficult to get in touch with the right manager and arrange time to show them our product line,” Newman explained. This challenge was alleviated once the company began working with AMCHAM T&T. It was much easier for the company to garner client interest, and organise meetings with them. “When these clients hear that the Chamber has a business opportunity for them, they are more than glad to take time to meet with us. AMCHAM T&T's reputation made it really easy for us to reach out to potential clients,” he said.

B2B MATCHMAKINGThe Febest Experience

Febest’s visit to Trinidad & Tobago was a huge success. They met with eleven prospective clients in the automotive parts sector. “We met with the biggest and best clients on the island, and were able to close some great deals. Hopefully these dealings will benefit both us and our Trinidad-based clientele. We feel we have some superior products with a lower price point than our competitors in Trinidad, and hopefully this will ultimately trickle down to the end-user, who will be able to buy better auto parts for a cheaper price than was previously available. To us this is a win-win-win situation for everyone involved. We couldn't be more thankful for the help AMCHAM T&T provided, and hopefully we will be back in Port of Spain soon to see how things are progressing.”

Peter Daveloose, Director of Operations and Aaron Newman, Wholesale Manager in the Febest warehouse, Miami.

AMCHAM T&T

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W H E N Y O U G O I N , W E G O I N W I T H Y O U .

T H E M S A G 1 S C B A I N T E G R A T E D T I C

www.irpltd.com • 119 Boundary Road, San Juan. Trinidad W.I 674-0693 I 0694 I 3632 • [email protected]

© MSA 2016 • ID 60-5825

A member of the IRP Group of Companies

Only our integrated TIC can be operatedindependently of your line of sight —

so you can be mindful of your surroundingsand tuned to the danger ahead.

AMCHAM T&T

“Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a difference.”

(Kathy Calvin, CEO & President of the United Nations Federation)

Hurricane Matthew struck Haiti on October 4, 2016, leaving widespread damage and causing loss of life on a large scale.

In view of the destruction, AMCHAM T&T recognised that Haiti needed immediate assistance, and asked its members to assist by giving financial donations or goods. Simon Pantin, Director of Amerijet International, stepped in and agreed to fly a shipment of goods to Haiti at no cost. Three of our members also volunteered to act as drop-off points: Cargo Consolidators Agency Limited, E Couriers Limited and Web Source Company Limited.

Thanks to the generosity of its members and of Amerijet, AMCHAM T&T was able to ship 9,779 lbs. of goods to Haiti – these goods arrived on Oct 20. Goods that could not be sent by air were sent by sea; Cargo Consolidators volunteered to assist with this process.

Through the AACCLA network, AMCHAM T&T was assured of reliable partners on the ground in Haiti – AmCham Haiti & the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), for seamless distribution of the much-needed food aid. AMCHAM T&T members also donated $16,000 TTD in cash to assist the victims in Haiti.

HELPING HAITI


AMBASSADOR'S RECEPTION"More than ever, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States need to continue to build bridges and solidify the relationship we have worked so hard to build in the past.”

These were the words of the US Ambassador John L Estrada as he toasted the members of The American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad & Tobago.

AMCHAM T&T’s Ambassador’s Reception was held on Thursday 17th November, 2016 at the Ambassador’s residence in Flagstaff, St. James. AMCHAM T&T hosts this event as a way of giving our first level executives an intimate audience with the Ambassador of the United States to T&T, John L. Estrada. AMCHAM T&T believes that events such as these are integral to promoting and maintaining the trade and investment relationship between the two regions.

AMCHAM T&T Hosts Reception for Members

Ravi Suryadevara, President AMCHAM T&T; Ambassador John L. Estrada US Ambassador to Trinidad & Tobago; Patricia Ghany, Treasurer AMCHAM T&T; Nirad Tewarie, CEO AMCHAM T&T

Ambassador John Estrada. greets Aaron Persad, Vice Chair – AMCHAM T&T’s Security Committee

AMCHAM T&T Vice President Catalina Herrera-Roca and Ambassador John Estrada.


AMCHAM T&T Members and US Embassy Staff network at the US Ambassador's Reception.


AMCHAM YEAR IN REVIEWHighlights of 2016

Paula Gopee Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry, at the Economic Outlook in January, 2016

Members of our Secretariat: Kelvin Alleyne, Aurelia Bruce, Hema Son Son, Neerala Bruce, Choy Durity and Phyllis Johnson

Keynote Speaker, Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, Representative for The US Virgin Islands in the U.S House of Representatives at the Annual Women’s Leadership Conference

Prime Minister Rowley (8th from left) stands with the members of the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC) with AMCHAM T&T CEO, Nirad Tewarie (3rd from left).

Senator the Honourable Jennifer Baptiste-Primus, Minster of Labour and Small and Micro Enterprises and Ambassador John L. Estrada, United States Ambassador to Trinidad &Tobago looking on at AMCHAM T&T’s Annual General Meeting in May, 2016.

His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Jaime Alberto Acosta Carvajal at a Procolombia seminar for an incoming mission of visiting Colombian companies.

Panellists at AMCHAM T&T’s Mid-Year Review in May, 2016. L-R: Ravi Suryadevara, President AMCHAM T&T; Nicole Joseph, Tax Director KPMG; Nigel Romano, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, JMMB Bank and Miguel Carrillo, Executive Director and Professor of Strategy, UWI-ALJGSB.

Vice Chair Chamber Experience and Imaging Committee, Estelle Narine; AMCHAM T&T Secretariat members Breanne Mc Ivor and Melissa Pierre; AMCHAM T&T Director Hugh Howard enjoying cocktails at the networking portion of the Annual Women’s Leadership Conference


Nirad Tewarie, CEO AMCHAM T&T seated with David D’Oliveira, Vice President C&W Business, Trinidad – at the Cable & Wireless Business Forum in July, 2016

Ravi Suryadevara, President AMCHAM T&T; Nicholas Galt, Director AMCHAM T&T and Chairman Emeritus AACCLA with Victoria Ibanez of AmCham Colombia at AACCLA’s 49th Annual Meeting in Washington D.C

Work Permit Training @AMCHAM T&T. In the photo: Neerala Boodoo, Member Services Assistant & Training Facilitator; participants (l-r) Anna Leigh Ramsaran & Steve Beckles, Deloitte and Karlene Hassanali from Regency Recruitment.

His Excellency Ambassador José A. Serulle Ramia delivering the feature address at AMCHAM T&T’s Doing Business in the Dominican Republic, in preparation for AMCHAM T&T’s Trade Mission to the DR.

Minister of Education, the Honourable Anthony Garcia presenting the trophy to the winning school of the Civil Society perspective of the National Youth Productivity Forum.

AMCHAM T&T Board Members Erojus Joseph and Sana Raghbir share a light moment at AMCHAM T&T’s networking event, Small Talk Big Links in July, 2016.


CALENDAR OF EVENTSSPONSOR AN AMCHAM T&T EVENT

AND CONNECT WITH OUR DIVERSE MEMBERSHIP BASE!

JANUARY 2017AMCHAM T&T’s Annual Economic Outlook 2017Venue: La Boucan, Hilton Trinidad Conference Centre

For further information please contact: Francisca Hector, [email protected]

FEBRUARY 2017

AMCHAM T&T’s Calypso Competition

For more information please contact: Choy Durity @622-4466 ext. 231 [email protected]

Legislative and Tax Seminar

For more information please contact: Aurelia Bruce @622-4466 ext. 222 or [email protected]

MARCH 2017

Women’s Leadership ConferenceVenue: Hyatt Regency Trinidad

For more information please contact: Francisca Hector@ 622-4466 ext. 228; [email protected]

Doing Business in Latin America – Focus on Nicaragua

For more information please contact: Melissa Pierre – Senior Trade and Projects Officer @ 622-4466 ext. 227 or [email protected]

APRIL 2017

AMCHAM T&T’s 24th Annual General Meeting

For more information please contact: Breanne Mc Ivor @ 622-4466/2508 ext. 232 or [email protected] or Neerala Boodoo @ 622-4466/2508 ext. 230 or [email protected]

MAY 2017

AMCHAM T&T’s 25th Anniversary CelebrationDate: Saturday 27th May, 2017

For more information please contact: Neerala Boodoo @ 622-4466/2508 ext. 230 or [email protected]

JUNE 2017

Trade Mission to Nicaragua/Business Future of the Americas

For more information please contact: Melissa Pierre – Senior Trade and Projects Officer @ 622-4466 ext. 227 or [email protected]

DATES TO BE CONFIRMED

HSSE Launch

For more information please contact: Melissa Pierre – Senior Trade and Projects Officer @ 622-4466 ext. 227 or [email protected] or Choy Durity @622-4466 ext. 231 or [email protected]

New Members Reception

For more information please contact: Neerala Boodoo @ 622-4466/2508 ext. 230 or [email protected]

21st Annual Health, Safety, Security and Environment Conference & Exhibition &5th Annual National Excellence in HSE Awards

For more information please contact: Melissa Pierre – Senior Trade and Projects Officer @ 622-4466 ext. 227 or [email protected] or Choy Durity @622-4466 ext. 231 or [email protected]

Annual Post Budget ForumSept/October, 2017

For more information please contact: Francisca Hector@ 622-4466 ext. 228; [email protected]

B2B Matchmaking and Trade Missions

Networking Opportunities

Making Your Voice Heard Through Lobbying

Adding Value through Education and Information

Beautiful Print


AMCHAM T&T

AS "YOUR PATHWAY TO THE AMERICAS", SOME OF AMCHAM T&T’S SERVICES ARE LISTED BELOW:

AMCHAM ON THE INSIDE

Did you know?

Our strong mix of formidable local and international member companies, strong networking links, close association with the U.S. Embassy and alliances with the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America and The Caribbean (AACCLA) all ensure rapid access to what you need to compete effectively both in local and overseas markets. We can therefore secure for members strategic information on doing business in a particular country as well as set up introductions to the right business organisations or companies in the U.S. and throughout the western hemisphere.

AMCHAM T&T U.S. Business Visa Facilitation

You are eligible to use this facility for renewal of visas from the U.S. Embassy for business. In addition, when the automated visa appointment services areas are ‘backlogged’, AMCHAM T&T may facilitate expedited visa appointments for business travel and training for company personnel. This is available at no cost to the employees of member companies.

AMCHAM T&T Introductions

You may already be in contact with a company with whom you would like to do business or make an alliance. AMCHAM T&T will send a letter of introduction for member companies, which will include details such as the length of time your company has been a member of AMCHAM T&T and your company’s involvement with Chamber activities etc. AMCHAM T&T will encourage the setting up of a meeting for you to promote your products and services, but will not endorse an individual company product or service, as we represent several competing companies in any one industry.

One-on-One Appointments

Through our local and international connections as well as the international AMCHAM network, AMCHAM T&T can arrange one-on-one appointments for companies who are seeking to expand their business in Trinidad and Tobago and the Americas.

Please note that some of AMCHAM T&T services & products

carry a nominal fee.

Access to AMCHAM T&T Membership Database

Listed AMCHAM T&T executives may request at any time from AMCHAM T&T the most updated version of our membership database highlighting companies’ names, addresses and executives’ contact information. An excel version is also available.

AMCHAM T&T Executive Info Session

Launching a new product or service? AMCHAM T&T’s InfoSessions are an excellent way of niche marketing to the decision makers of our 280 member companies, as well as to the wider business community. AMCHAM T&T will be responsible for sending out notices of the session to our members and the wider business community, registration, organising the room and refreshments as well as any other administrative duties that may arise.

Incoming & Outgoing Trade Missions

Information is available upon request.

AMCHAM T&T Monthly Meetings

You will receive notices of our Monthly Meetings, which usually begin at 8:15 a.m. and end between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. AMCHAM T&T business is usually the first item on the agenda, followed by a guest speaker and a discussion session. Occasionally these meetings may take the form of a Luncheon or Dinner. This may be the case if there is a special event or an important overseas visitor. Your company may also choose to become the corporate associate of a particular meeting for a sponsorship fee.

AMCHAM T&T Board Room Rental

AMCHAM T&T’s conference room is available for meetings, training sessions and board meetings. Send the particular details regarding meeting needs in terms of seating, catering, equipment, etc. and we will arrange it for you.

AMCHAM T&T Organsing Your Event

(Event must be trade or business-related) AMCHAM T&T can arrange the logistics of your event, all arrangements including sending out invitations via email or otherwise, and special invitation to ministers / diplomatic corps, following up for responses, coordination of logistics at venue before and after function.

Event Email Mailout Service (EEMS)

EEMS is an email service which gives you the opportunity to detail your event (e.g. conference, seminar, etc.) to the executives listed on the AMCHAM T&T database (over 1000 executives). Product, seminar or service must be trade or trade-related.

Join an AMCHAM T&T Committee!

• Chamber Experience and Imaging (CEI) Committee

• Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) Committee

• Legislative Committee

• Trade and Investment Committee

• Security Committee

• Governance Committee

Please contact us if you are interested in participating in any committee.

All AMCHAM T&T's financial members are encouraged to have representation on the committees in order to voice their issues and to provide feedback for the lobbying effort of the AMCHAM T&T’s Board of Directors. Committee meetings are another forum where members can share invaluable experiences and information with each other. To join a committee, please contact The AMCHAM T&T Secretariat Tel: (868) 622 4466/0340

In the last membership (2016) survey, LINKAGE magazine was listed as “the most valuable member service” by AMCHAM T&T members.Increase reach and visibility for your brand! 5,000 copies per quarter distributed to the upper management echelon and decision makers locally, regionally and internationally.

ADVERTISING RATES FOR LINKAGE MAGAZINE5% discount on advertisements booked for 3 issues10% discount on advertisements booked for 4 issues

PREMIUM SPOT 1• Inside front cover• Outside back cover• Page 1TT$8,500.00 + VAT

OTHER FULL PAGETT$6,000.00 + VAT

HALF PAGE - horizontalTT$4,000.00 + VAT

HALF PAGE - verticalTT$4,000.00 + VAT

STRIP - horizontal or verticalTT$3,000.00 + VAT

PREMIUM SPOT 2• Inside back coverTT$8,000.00 + VAT

PREMIUM SPOT 3• Page 2 or 3TT$7,500.00 + VAT

PREMIUM SPOT 4• Page 5, 7 or 9TT$7,000.00 + VAT

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